No Love
by UZUDAE
Summary: Private investigator Ike reporting for duty, along with his sexy new assistant Soren. But what happens when Ike gets two new clients, clients who may want him to investigate that brand new assistant?
1. Chapter 1

No love

1- No love for Ike

_They were like raindrops in a hurricane, the cases weren't just dropping in my lap the last few days, they were pummeling me, drowning me. I've been in the business long enough to know that the world isn't all sunshine, sugar, and rainbows, its grimier than that. And I've sure as hell been at the game long enough to realize that love is as overrated as it is empty. There's no such thing, maybe there was back in the good old days, those black and white movie days. Oh yeah, they had it all back then. The beautiful dame walks into the office, the gumshoe solves her case, then they smooch real sweet like. The credits roll and some real dated slow jazz starts to play. Then everybody just gets up and leaves the theatre, shows over. Oh yeah, they had it all back then._

_---_

On just another average day at the office, this average day being a Wednesday, Ike sat sorting through his stack of assignment for the week, the stack always the same, ordered from least important to most. Loosening the knot in his tie, he kicked his broken in leather swivel chair away from himself. He always worked best standing. He couldn't have known it at the time, but this average Wednesday, would by far be the most average day in what would become the most not so average seven days of his entire life.

"Adultery. Adultery. Expected in court for a divorce hearing. Adultery. Subpoena for missing a court date… for divorce…Christ when did I become a divorce lawyer!" Ike put down the stack of work that had piled up on his desk, instead turning his attention to a memo he was preparing for one of his clients.

Before even getting a chance to glance it over he tossed it onto the stack and started vigorously rubbing his temples. As a private detective he was prepared for the _occasional_ adultery cases the profession promised, but the past two weeks had been an all out battle of the sexes.

Lately the mediocre private investigator had been reduced to listening to one pissed off spouse after another, each one wanted nothing more than to see their significant other in court. Just now he was putting the finishing touches on a memo for a husband who was about to find out his wife and her new _girlfriend_ were hitting it off very well on weekday afternoons while he was at the firm.

_I knew I should have used camera's on that case, what a waste. _He read the memo once more to himself, it was decent at best, no work of art. But after preparing the fourth adultery memo of the week, he wasn't taking much pride in his work.

"Either cupid's in a coma or people have just given up on love." He half sighed, half muttered as he crumpled up the memo and threw it at the wall.

Taking a long gulp of the Red Bull open on the desk he turned to the computer and printed out another copy of the memo he had just chucked. Just as the ancient HP printer started to regurgitate a new memo he heard a knock at the door. The printer suddenly sputtered and the paper crinkled, jammed in the feed.

_Piece of shit!_ He cursed out loud as he tried to force the paper from the wretched box. The knocking continued.

"Yeah, one minute, okay!" He yelled towards the door, propping his foot against the desk for leverage as he yanked at the memo. He heard the paper rip inside the machine. Before he could react, he lost his balance and flung himself across the room into a file cabinet.

"Are you alright?" A gentle voice said as the door slowly creaked open.

"Don't come in yet!" Ike called from under a pile of files knocked off the top of the cabinet, his blue bangs now hanging just barely over his eyes.

"Here let me help." A delicate hand reached down in front of him. Pushing his bangs out of his own face he looked up at the face of the truly beautiful woman standing in front of him. Her raven hair hanging down just barely covering the left side of her own face. _Beautiful eyes, silky hair, not much in the chest, but nobody's perfect…_ He stared up at her face, his eyes meeting the red mark in the middle of her forehead.

---

"That little piece of shit!" Roy said slamming his hand into the dashboard of the Mercedes.

"Please be gentle with _my_ car." Marth said closely eying the red car tailgating them in his rearview mirror.

"But doesn't it piss you off!? It pisses me off! Besides, this car's old as shit, who cares if I bang it up a bit?" Roy looked at his lover, his anger already fading.

"My concern isn't for the car. I'm just scared that one day you'll hit the dashboard and the airbag will punch a hole in your pretty little face." Marth said and smiled at his lover. He hated to see Roy so worked up.

"I say that we just go to Link's house and confront the prick! Then you can kick his ass!" Marth was beginning to lose patience with his spastic lover.

"Why don't _you_ beat him up?" Roy picked up on the anger and the sarcasm immediately. _How was he always so damn calm like this?_

"Are you kidding, Link's like ripped."

"Oh, I see how it is." Marth retorted, averting his gaze back to the tailgater. _Oh, Link, what the hell are you thinking…_

---

Rediscovering his lost manners, Ike stopped staring rudely at his female guest and, ignoring the outstretched hand, rose to his feet. Gingerly he began to pat the back of his blue head.

"Good, no blood." He said and smiled gingerly at the woman.

"Blood?" She questioned pushing her long black bangs off of her face.

"Hit my head, no big deal. How can I help you." _You sure do make a great first impression_, Ike thought as he resumed sitting behind his wooden desk.

"Actually I was-" The beauty began.

"Let me guess, rat bastard of a husband? Please don't tell me its that." He looked at her genuinely hoping it wasn't that.

"Husband? Um I think you're mistaken, I'm-" She was cut off again

"Well thank god, you have no idea how many adultery cases have come in here the past few weeks. I was thinking that they would never end!" He sighed and opened his mouth in a big, stupid grin.

"I'm actually here about a job interview." The woman piped in, adjusting her tie. _That's strange, _Ike thought. _What kind of woman wears a suit and tie to an interview? _

"Oh, so you're the one I talked to on the phone?" Ike said, something felt very off.

"Yes, I am. I'm not late to the interview am I?" The visitor said nervously eyeing the clock on the wall.

"No, not late at all, right on time actually." Ike smiled and reassured her. He had no idea what time he had told her to come in for the interview. Something was still very, very off though, and he just couldn't place it. Not her demeanor, not the attitude, and he certainly wasn't minding her other "features." Then suddenly he realized what was bothering him, it was the tie. _What kind of woman wears a suit and tie to a job interview? No kind, that's what kind! _

"Wait didn't I talk to a _man_ on the phone about a job as my assistant!" Ike practically yelled, now leaning halfway over his desk. The _man_ sitting across from him blushed heavily.

"Yes, you did."

---

The old tan Mercedes pulled up in front of the multipurpose red brick building and, after struggling to parallel park for about five minutes, Marth finally got it into the spot.

"You are the worst at parking ever, I swear!" Roy said jokingly, as he assessed Marth's park job like a personal driving instructor.

"Tsk, tsk, where do I begin? You're crooked, too close to this car and you're practically on the curb. I'm afraid you won't be getting your license today young man." Roy was practically on the ground laughing until Marth slapped him on the back of the head and fed the parking meter three quarters.

"I seem to recall that the only reason I drive us places Roy is because you backed into a car during your drivers test." Marth leered right at Roy, daring him to retort.

"Oh, bullshit, that guy should have been watching where he was going!" Roy pouted, crossing his arms on his chest.

"He should have been watching- you were on the highway, why in god's name would you be going in reverse!"

"I missed my exit!"

"You missed-" Marth face palmed and cut himself off. _Why do I love this idiot, why?_

"Lets just focus on figuring out where in the building this guys office is." Marth said changing the subject.

"It's on the second floor. It should be called 'Ike Spiegel: Private Investigative Service' or something." Roy said, holding the door open for his lover. Marth rewarded him with a gentle kiss on the lips.

"What would I do without you."

"You better reward me properly when we get home." Roy called after him, closing the door behind them.

"You know I always do!"

---

"Soren." Soren said to the obviously preoccupied Ike as he shifted uncomfortably in his chair.

"Soren? Soren. So your name is Soren, and you're here for a job interview." Ike's face felt like it was on fire, he'd never felt so stupid in his whole life.

_Oh my god, she' s a man, and I was checking her-him out! I am such an idiot, he must think I'm the dumbest person alive, and I'm supposed to be a detective!_

"Yes, I'm here for the job interview." Soren's face was quite red too, and he couldn't stop fidgeting in his seat.

"You're uncomfortable, aren't you? I'm making you uncomfortable, look I'm sorry, jeez…I feel so stupid. I'm really sorry about that." Ike couldn't help but keep staring. _For a man, he sure is beautif- shut up! What am I thinking?_

"Don't worry about it, I get that a lot actually." Soren smiled gently and firmly planted himself in the chair, resisting the urge to squirm even more.

"No shit, is that so? Well no offense, but it is sort of an easy mistake to make, I think it's the hair. But don't get me wrong! I like the hair, keep the hair." _Smooth Ike, real smooth. You've got him right where you want him. What am I saying? I don't want him anywhere!_

"Um, well, thank you, I guess. So this interview, should I…" Soren trailed off, wanting desperately to come off as less awkward than he was being.

"Consider yourself hired!" Ike said, brandishing his hand for a handshake and grinning broadly.

"But I haven't even answered a single question, we didn't even have an interview!" Soren stammered, ignoring the hand and staring up at Ike in complete confusion.

"Well to be frank I like you Soren. You seem all right, polite, considerate, all that stuff. Plus to be honest you were the only person that even responded to the ad I put out." His face now completely beet red, Soren delicately took Ike's hand and barely shook it. He was clearly still unsure.

"Well, I, um…well thank you Mister…" He trailed off.

"Ike."

"Your last name is Ike?"

"No my last name isn't- just call me Ike. It's my first name." Ike said, staring perplexed at his new assistant.

"Oh, okay. Thank you for the job Mister- oh, I mean Ike." Soren blurted out.

"Soren, don't take this the wrong way but you have to be the dumbest smart person I have ever met." Ike said chuckling in between his words. Luckily, Soren chuckled back and Ike couldn't help but be thankful, the ice between them was finally broken.

"So Soren, any interest in starting work right now? Unless you're busy, in which case we should talk about hours before you leave."

"No, I can start right now Mis- Ike." Soren said as he caught himself going to say Mister again.

"Good, don't take off your jacket then, we're going out to lunch." Ike grabbed for his own jacket as he stood up from his desk.

"Lunch!?! But sir I thought I was on the clock already?" The youths face turned beet red as he watched the larger man make his way to the door.

"Oh hell, if I didn't like mister what made you think that I would like sir? C'mon, my treat, and nothings going on here anyways." Ike opened the door and stood holding it for the raven headed boy. As he watched him cross the room playing with the knot in his tie he couldn't help but to stare.

_Is he being shy or, wait, could he be interested in me? Is that why he's acting like this? He does seem on edge but- no that's stupid. He's not interested in you, you're just being egotistical, and what good would it be if he was?_

"I, well, I'm, I, Thank you Si-" Soren had to cut himself off again.

"Look, I drive the only orange range rover in the parking lot behind the building, wait there I have to lock up and shut down the computer. Alright?" He didn't want to part with the boy but he figured they both needed a moment to calm down. And it was true, he did need to power his stuff down and he did need to lock up.

"Oh, uh yeah. Yeah, orange range rover, got it." Soren walked down the hall towards the staircase at the right end. All the while reciting orange range rover to himself out loud.

"Cute kid…What am I nuts!" Ike scrambled back into the office running to shut down his computer and suddenly very flustered.

"I can't believe I said that out loud, hell I can't believe I said it at all. Ike is strait, Ike is very, very strait." He made his way to the door loosening his tie and throwing it onto the coat rack by the door.

"Strait, s-t-r-a-t, strait. Wait shit that's wrong."

"Um excuse me, Mr. Spiegel right?" Ike whipped around to see two collegiate looking boys walking down the hall coming from the left stairwell.

The taller of the two was a blue headed youth, with hair only slightly lighter in shade than Ike's, but significantly longer. The other, shorter one, was a fiery red head with tussled hair almost as short as his own. The bluenette was wearing a long sleeved white shirt with a scarf around his neck, the other was wearing a green gingham shirt open wide with a black tank top underneath. Both wore designer jeans to go with their tops, the bluenette's jeans a black washed pair, the red heads a bleached pair. _Jeez, you ever get the feeling looking at two guys that you could swear they were dating?_

"So what can I do for the happy couple?" Ike said jokingly as he finished locking up his door.

"We're that obvious?" Marth said, eyeing the larger man.

"What two smoking' hot guys like us Marth, who wouldn't assume?" Roy shot at his lover advancing down the hall towards Ike. The large bluenette nearly slammed his head into the doorframe in shock. _Wow, you're battin' a thousand today, aren't you Ike? _

"Sorry, didn't mean to pry." Ike muttered, barely audible. "can I help you with something?"

"Yes, you can. We were hoping you could help us with an adultery case. We saw your ad and we think you'd be perfect. Ike couldn't hide his frustration from the two, but then he wasn't trying very hard.

"Look, I'm sorry, but I don't just talk to any guy who knows my last name, alright? If you want me to work a case for you, you need an appointment."

"We have an appointment." The very feminine bluenette shot back, not missing a beat.

_Oh crap. They have an appointment? I should really have a day planner or something by now. Why don't I have a day planner? And why in god's name would I schedule a job interview and a client meeting at the same goddamn time?_

"Really, my mistake. I'm in a hurry though so…"Marth rolled his eyes as the detective tried to backtrack.

"Can we just give you this folder, we put it together to make your job easier. Its got the address of the couple we want you to investigate, who's cheating on who, and the address of the 'third party'." Marth replied, coolly handing the detective a manila folder.

"Sure, yeah, sorry If I seem impatient." He had already started to open the folder and go through its contents.

"So is there like a picture of any of these people in here, cuz that would help a lot."

"Yes, they probably sank to the bottom of the folder but they should be in there." Marth responded warming up to the gumshoe slightly. He didn't get too comfortable however, no sooner had he spoken then the tall bluenette proceeded to flip the folder over, spilling its contents across the floor.

"Smooth, very smooth." Marth said crossing his hands across his chest. Clearly not impressed. But Ike didn't notice his tone of voice, nor did he notice anything at all. The only thing he could see was a Polaroid lying on the ground staring up at him atop a pile of scattered papers and other pictures. Inside a thin white frame sat a pale, raven haired boy, approximately 19-20 years old. He was quite beautiful for a man, and Ike would know the face anywhere. His gaze lowered and locked on the words scrawled on the bottom part of the white frame-

_Soren Cruice, Third party._

No Love For Ike, End.


	2. Chapter 2

No Love

2-No Love for Pit

_I've always considered myself lucky, sure bad things happened to me, and sometimes they happen still, but I've always considered myself lucky. I think that the only really bad luck I ever had was when I was twelve, and my parents left the country. Mom was a businesswoman, Dad was a businessman, and both of them needed to leave, because their company had expanded and was going overseas. They left me with my aunt while they were gone, but then they never really came back, did they? They do call me, usually once a week, to say they love me, and they send me money for things that I need, or send me gifts I don't need. I still live with my aunt, who I also love dearly, but she could never replace a mom and a dad. Who could? That was what I thought, until I met him, he came so close, closer than anybody. He was the only thing that ever came close to replacing a mom and a dad. Link, he came really, really close, closer than anybody ever has. He'll always be close to me._

---

"Um Ike, are you okay?" Soren stared quizzically at the larger man as they sat at their booth, waiting to be served. The red leather of the seats, squeaking under Soren's bottom as he fidgeted once again.

"Huh? Yeah, just feel like I forgot to do something, at the office, y'know?" He lied. Lied to a liar. There was something about it that left a bitter, funny taste in his mouth.

_What if Soren hadn't left that hallway when he did? What if those two kids had come up the stairs just a little bit faster? Oh my god! What if me and Soren had still been in the office talking? If those two had come even the slightest bit sooner, I don't even want to think what could have happened!_

Lost in thought, Ike barely heard the waitress ask him what he wanted to drink. He flatly ordered a sprite and told her they weren't ready to order their meal yet.

_---_

_Ike flipped through the photographs, the other contents of the folder still strewn across the floor of the hall outside his office. There was one of a small brunette about 16 or 17, a dirty blonde about 19 or 20, and then there was Soren. _

_He turned to the first photo, _Pit Owen- Victim_. Then he turned to the second photo, _Link Litsky- asshole_. He didn't even look at the third photo, he just stuffed all three into the folder and turned to his new 'clients'. _

"_So I'm guessing asshole means…"_

"_That's right, Link is cheating on Pit." Marth replied stone-faced. _

"_Poor kid, so then third party means…" Ike responded, clearly in a haze._

"_Yeah, he's cheating _on_ Pit _with_ Soren." Ike felt a knife go through his heart. _Why should I even care?

"_I thought so." He bent down and slowly gathered up the scattered papers. If he didn't hurry the 'third party' would wonder why he'd been left waiting at the car for so long._

---

"Well, maybe you didn't shut off the lights?" Soren responded, finally finding a comfortable sitting position.

"Yeah, I guess it could be that." The diner they were sitting in was an old favorite of Ike's, "Lenny's eats" was the name. Strangely enough there had never been an owner named Lenny at any point in the places ten year history.

The only reason he even knew of it was because he'd been there a lot as a kid. _Dad sure did love this place, didn't he? _Ike always looked back fondly at those days, his father sipping coffee and looking through case files while he sat across from him, astounded.

Regardless of his own personal history with the place, that wasn't why he ate there, he had no nostalgia for the old diner, none at all. The truth was that it was close to his office, never very busy, and the food was actually damn good. But then, he supposed his father had probably liked it back then for the same reasons.

"So I can't help but ask but, why are we here?" Soren said, his eyes peeking out from behind his tall laminated menu.

"What? You're not hungry?" Ike's voice sounded flat, distant. He was trying his hardest to mask the irritation in it, but he could only do so much.

"No it's not that, I just… well I mean, isn't this strange?"

"_Strange? _It's not like we're on a date Soren." The youth visibly wilted at the comment and, burying his face behind his menu barely muttered a reply.

"I know."

---

"So what was up with that guy?" Roy asked as the couple exited the red brick building and emerged out into a brisk fall day. Shielding his eyes, Roy couldn't help but marvel at the beautiful day.

"What do you mean?" Marth replied walking over and examining the parking meter next to their car.

"Well I don't know, he seemed anxious. And not just like he was in a hurry. Plus did you see how he looked at that picture of Soren, he freaked out."

"Well, maybe he knows Soren from somewhere. Do you want a jacket?" Marth proposed reaching into the backseat of the Mercedes for his own pea coat.

"Yeah, I'll take a jacket, its really cold all of a sudden. But you really think Soren could know that guy? That's sorta unlikely." Roy reached out his hands and caught the bomber jacket Marth chucked over his shoulder. He stared down and admired the beat up old coat.

"Maybe it is. So anyways, you want to go get lunch or something. I fed this meter a whole bunch of quarters so we've got some time to kill." The bluenette turned to Roy who was busily engaged in a battle with his jacket's zipper. The boy looked up at his lover and beamed. Forgetting about the zipper he ran over and hugged him around the neck.

"I would love some lunch." He said nuzzling the bluenette.

"Good, because I was going to get some lunch whether you wanted to or not." He gently pushed the red head back, then kissed him on the cheek. Twirling the car keys on his finger he slowly started to take off down the sidewalk.

"You jerk!" Roy couldn't help but to laugh as he took off down the street after Marth, jogging to catch up.

---

Holding his hands to his face to return some warmth to them, Link stood in the foyer of his small apartment and started kicking his shoe's off.

"I'm home my angel!" He called sweetly, unbuttoning his denim jacket and tossing it on the floor by his shoe's Almost as if on command, Pit emerged from the kitchen and ran over, literally jumping into the blonde's arms.

"You know I hate it when you leave and I'm still asleep!" He said immediately kissing the larger man on the lips. Pivoting himself Link gently pinned Pit against the wall and passionately kissed back. After about a minute he decided to surface for a quick breath.

" Sorry, duty called, they needed me at the café. You got my message on you're phone though, right?." He asked, panting slightly.

Before the angel could even answer Link leaned against the wall with both hands and moved himself in for another kiss. The small brunette eagerly clasped the blondes face with both hands and kissed him deeply again, feeling the mans tongue gently trace the inside of his mouth.

"Well, yeah, but I still missed you." The brunette gasped, Leaving the kiss only to catch his breath.

"Would you like to continue this discussion in the bedroom?" Link said, stroking the brunettes light brown locks.

"Yes, please." Pit responded, his face reddened and a coy smile on his lips.

"To the bedroom!" The blonde flung the brunette over his shoulders and made his way to the bedroom.

---

With one heave the blonde effortlessly tossed the small boy onto the tempur-pedic in their bedroom, the boy bounced slightly with a laugh and then landed softly on the foam. Link studied him for a moment.

"I'm taking requests, anything you'd like?" He said to the brunette as he removed his red t-shirt. The boy pointed to his lips with his index finger and smiled shyly. Link happily obliged him and immediately the two were locked in a passionate kiss. As the two locked lips the blonde slowly fumbled with his lovers t-shirt, slowly lifting it up to the boys shoulders. Breaking the kiss, he lifted Pit's shirt up over his head.

"Link I-" The boy stammered but was immediately cut off by his own gasp as he felt Link caress the left side of his chest. He then immediately felt the mans soft lips on the nape of his neck. It was almost to much for him, Link was far superior to the boy in these matters.

"You were saying something angel?" Link asked playfully his had still exploring all of Pit's exposed chest.

"Link, don't be cruel- mmmmm!" The boy cut himself off again as he felt Link gently nibble on his earlobe. Slowly the blonde's hand working their way down his sides, then down his waist and into his pajama pants. Massaging Pits rear with his hand Link slid the pants down with his other hand until they were at his knees. The blonde immediately stopped as he felt the boy wrap his arms around his neck, he was breathing heavily and Link could feel Pit shivering.

"You're ready now?" He asked, staring at his lover puzzled.

"No more foreplay! I can't wait!" Pit managed to rasp in between breaths.

Having been given the go ahead Link immediately reached into the bedstand for some lubricant, finally palming it he quickly prepared himself.

"Are you sure that you're ready?" Link asked staring at his lover, trying to restrain himself. He was already hot himself. The brunette nodded and smiled at the larger man. Slowly Link began to insert his whole length into the boy. He felt Pits short nails dig into his back as he slid himself inside. With one last whimper from the small brunette Link was fully inside.

"See that's why we do the foreplay. Did I hurt you?" The boy shook his head and winced.

"No, I'm-I, please don't stop!" Pit pleaded. With that the blonde Proceeded to thrust, Pit immediately yelped and went limp. With another thrust from Link the boy was already clutching at the sheets on the bed and moaning in delight. The blonde began to pant as he pushed harder, it was all he could do to hold out for his lovers sake. Placing his arm under his lover he lifted him up and supported him while positioning himself sitting up.

Holding his lover in his lap he could hear the harshness of his lovers breath, and the warmth he felt enveloping himself made him almost ready to climax. _Just a bit longer, just a bit._ Pit gasped in delight, his mind going blank with the pleasure. As Link started to move even faster he found himself lost and overwhelmed. Arching his back he clutched his lover as tight as he could and shrieked in delight. As he released he heard his lover gasp unable to hold on any longer. He gasped as he felt Link release inside of him.

Both collapsed on the bed out of breath and unable to even move. It was a while before Link rolled onto his back and stared up at the ceiling still breathing heavily.

"You tire me out Pit, you know that?"

"Don't tell me that we're finished already?" The small brunette asked, pleading with his sapphire eyes. The blonde reached over with one arm and pulled the boy on top of himself. Kissing him gently on the cheek he stroked the boys chocolate hair.

"Just give me a minute Pit." He panted. "I think I might be the one in need of some foreplay."

---

"Here, this place looks good." Marth stood yell at a neon sign which read "Lenny's Eats." However in the dark the sign probably read something like "LENY' ETS" as about half of the letters on the sign seemed to have burned out long ago.

"Marth you're an idiot, this place looks like a shit hole." Roy stared up at the same sign as Marth, and yet it seemed the diner's charms were wasted on him.

"Well if you never take a gamble and try new things, then how will you ever know what's good?" The bluenette reached out and held the door open for the redhead who rolled his eyes and walked through the door.

"Well we'll see, won't we? This place will either be great or a spectacular waste of-"

"Hi Roy!" Roy whipped around so fast he almost crashed into a waitress carrying a half full glass coffee pot. He looked at the booth directly next to the entrance on the right, sitting in the red leather booth were both Soren and their new private investigator friend.

"Hey, um, what's up Soren?" Roy recovered staring at the raven headed boy, hoping he was keeping his composure well. The bluenette sitting in the booth opposite the boy was slowly sinking deeper and deeper into his seat. _What the fuck are you doing here private detective? And why is Soren here!?!_ The raven haired boy adjusted himself in the seat, twisting his back so that he was facing the door, and responded.

"I'm just out to lunch with my new boss. So is Marth with you or…" Marth who had been trying to slowly slink back out the door was abruptly grabbed by the wrist. Roy looked at him and the bluenette immediately knew he was in for the long haul.

"Yep, I'm here too Soren."

"So what brings you to this side of town?" The red eyed boy asked innocently. _Shit Marth, what does bring you to this side of town? _Fumbling only for a moment Marth managed to piece a story together in his head.

"Oh, you know, I just heard that this place had the best burgers ever, so I figured 'why not'?" Marth lied, praying that Soren was as gullible as Roy had led him to believe. He'd never really met Soren before, he had only become acquainted through Roy, who had apparently known Soren for years.

"Really? Ike said that this place was good too. How did you hear about it?" Before Marth even got the chance to come up with a lie the other bluenette decided to chime in.

"I told them about it!" He blurted. _You idiot._ Marth wanted to jump across the booth and strangle the larger man.

"Ike! I didn't know that you knew Marth and Roy! How did you meet?" Ike instantly felt a chill go down his spine. _You god damned idiot._

"I well, its, I mean that-" Ike stammered

"We just met this morning!" Roy nearly yelled, causing Soren who had just turned around to face Ike to immediately whip his head around to face the red head. Now Marth could see the pale youths red eyes start to narrow, his brow furrow. He was hoping it was just confusion and not suspicion, but Soren was a deceptively smart person, apparently.

"Um, I don't mean to interrupt, but would you like to be seated now?" All four turned to stare at the waitress standing next to Marth and Roy.

She seemed almost immediately uncomfortable, and slowly started too hide behind the tray in her hands, her face beet red. _You wonderful woman! You wonderful, brilliant, beautiful woman! _Marth continued to praise the waitress in his head for her perfect timing as Roy explained to her that they would like the booth on the opposite end of the door. This being because they wanted the fresh air coming out of the doorway. The waitress nodded and showed them to their seats, both ordered waters.

"Wow! So that was a close one huh?" Roy said staring past Marth to the booth on the opposite end of the door, namely the IkexSoren booth.

"Holy shit! That was almost a train wreck! What is the matter with that detective? And how in god's name does he know Soren?"

"Yeah, I guess you were right about that. I'm thinking we should flag him down and ask that right now." With that Roy started to make any frantic hand gesture he thought would get the large bluenette's attention.

"Roy are you stupid? Cut that out!" Marth grabbed the boys arms and yanked them down out of the air. It was too late however, he had caught Ike's attention. The man was now curiously, and very noticeably, staring at their both past an oblivious Soren who was completely absorbed in the menu.

"What if Soren had seen that you dumbass!?!" Marth glanced over at the booth.

"Oh shit, that idiot is staring at us."

"Yeah, exactly. Now I just signal him to go to the bathroom and ask him some questions."

"Well I'm coming too then." Marth retorted.

"No way, if Soren notices that we're all gone he'll figure it out."

"Figure what out?" Marth asked.

"I don't know. Just _it." _

"Well then I'm going to the bathroom to ask the questions."

"Again, no. You want to tear the guy's throat out, I saw you give him the death eyes. You stay here." With that Roy proceeded to stand and jump up and down while waving his hands over his head.

The bluenette, who's attention Roy already had, cocked his head and stared in confusion. Realizing both were on the verge of alerting Soren Marth swiftly kicked Roy in the hip. The boy turned and, after vigorously pointing to the bathroom, 'stealthily' slunk off into the restaurant. Marth shut his eyes and gently slammed his head into the table. All he had running through his head was fifty different scenario's all ending with Roy or Ike, the new idiot in his life, completely blowing their cover.

Ike slowly stood up and took one last sip of his soda before turning to Soren.

"I'm going to the bathroom, be back in a flash." With that he turned and walked off towards the bathroom.

---

"What the fuck are you doing with Soren!? How do you even _know_ the guy!? Wait-are you banging him _too_!?!" Ike was taken aback by the sudden burst of fury the redhead was showing. Quickly glancing around the bathroom to make sure nobody was in the room, he responded.

"What, no, I am not 'banging him'. Plus, why are you at this diner, are you insane!?"

"How could we know you two would be here? And you answer my question _now!_" Ike looked at the blind rage in the youth's eyes and was afraid in spite of his size.

"Look, Soren is my assistant. I only just met him today though. I literally hired him about five minutes before you guys showed up." He saw the youth was skeptical.

"Look cross my heart, that's what happened. When you guys were coming up the stairs you missed him by a hair." Ike pleaded. Roy could see the mercenary was telling the truth and was just as shaken as he was. He dropped his guard and patted the man on the shoulder.

"Alright then, sorry. Don't tell Soren you're investigating him, whatever you do. You are still going to investigate him, right?" He stared up at the bluenette anxiously.

"Yeah, I took the case right, I don't back down from my cases. Bad for business."

"You don't feel, y'know, conflicted or anything?" Roy looked at the detective, he needed to be sure they could trust the guy.

"Conflicted? No. If Soren is the asshole it looks like he is, then I don't feel shit." Ike's tone said it all- he was in it to win it. Roy no longer had any doubts, but something was still bugging him, something Ike probably _should_ know.

"Keep this in mind though, detective. Soren may not be the bad guy, he's only ever met Link. He doesn't know Pit at all. He could not even know what he's gotten himself into." The redhead turned to the mirror on the wall, and then to the bluenette.

"He doesn't know Pit?"

"No, I'm positive they never met before." Roy paused for a moment.

"He's a good friend, Soren. But if he _is _the asshole it looks like he may be, give him hell, for me." The boy smiled and started for the door, turning only to give a small farewell.

"Later!" With that Roy turned and exited the bathroom, letting the door slam behind him. _He could not even know…_ the word's rang in Ike's head.

"What's it gonna be Mr. Detective?" He said aloud, reaching into his pocket for a coin, a lucky penny, he was hoping.

"Heads you're on Soren's side, tails you're on those guys' side." He found a penny and threw it in the air.

As he watched the bright copper dance through the air in front of him, he found his thoughts drifting back to Soren over and over again. The boy seemed to be in all of his thoughts today, and the man wondered why. Questions for another day, he supposed. The coin finally hit the tile with a loud, echoing ring.

_He could not even know… _

When it was finished rolling the coin finally stopped on tails. He stood and stared at it for a few minutes, knowing exactly what tails meant. He decided that he wasn't leaving anything _else _to chance today.

"Soren's side it is." Ike said as he opened the door, not bothering to retrieve his coin. As he made his way back to the table, studying the back of the boy's raven clad head, he wondered if he really, truly, had any clue what the hell he was getting himself into.

"Well, look who's back." Ike said cheerily, sliding himself back into the booth.

"You seem happy all of a sudden." Soren replied, stirring the ice in his unsweetened tea. Soren seemed happier too, Ike noted.

"Well y'know, guess I was just preoccupied. Why, was I killing the mood?" Ike glanced over Soren's shoulder only to see that Marth and Roy had both left their booth.

"Don't seem so uptight Ike, we're not on a date." Soren stared Ike in the eyes with an expression the bluenette couldn't place. Some strange cross between happiness and…well, something.

---

Pit lay in the bed, loving the feel of everything around him. The warmth from the heater, the feel of sheets on his bare skin, the soft pillow against his ruffled hair. In the other room he could hear Link trying to force his shoes onto his feet and cursing as he did so. Link had come home at about three, they'd been at 'it' for about what Pit guessed was two hours. Then they had done what Pit loved to do most, just laid there. Him and Link. The brunette loved that most, that he and Link could spend time like that, for no reason, just for the sake of it.

"Alright Pit, I'm headed out." Link came bursting back into the room hopping on one foot as he forced a red Converse All Star onto the other. Pit immediately dove out from under the covers and ran over to his lover.

"Pit, you make me never want to leave." Link looked his lover up and down, a sly smile spreading on his lips. Pit blushed and hurriedly covered himself up.

"Don't say that, its embarrassing." The boy's tone was playful, but self conscious.

"I don't get why you have such a problem with just being naked, but being naked and having sex is somehow fine." The boys face exploded into a deep pink and he stared at the floor.

"It just- I don't know, it just bothers me." The boy continued to stare down. Gently lifting his chin with his index finger, Link stared into his blue eyes.

"Look, I'm sorry, I'll be back in an hour or so. I didn't mean anything by it." With that he kissed the boy on the lips and headed for the door.

"Where are you going?" Pit asked, now covering his groin with the pillow from the bed.

"Soren's house. And like I said, an hour tops."

"Ohhhhh, Soren!" The boy chirped, enthusiastically. "Tell him that I said hello, I haven't seen him in ages." Pit said as Link undid the chain on the door.

"Don't worry Pit, I'll give him your regards."

---

No Love For Pit, End


	3. Chapter 3

No Love

3-No Love For Link

---

_How do I feel about insincerity? That's a very tough question to answer. I suppose I don't like being lied to, and who does for that matter? But I do acknowledge that it is a necessary evil. It's bad, but I would never say that it shouldn't be done. Lies are like your daily vitamins, they can do some good in very small doses, but too many and you'll be shitting you're guts out. See lies are an essential tool to avoid hurting people, people you don't want to hurt, people you may even love. Take me for example, do I lie to Pit? Yes, I do lie to Pit, but only because I don't want to hurt him. How could I ever hurt my little angel?_

---

Pit watched out the kitchen window of their apartment as Link climbed into his silver BMW, a high school graduation gift from his father. As Link struggled to use the button on his keys to open the door the brunette casually scanned over the parking lot. Immediately a scruff of blue hair caught his attention, a stranger who didn't live in their building, loitering in the parking lot. The mystery man stood leaning against an orange Range Rover, a half finished cigarette between his fingers. The man was large, not much larger than Link, but large all the same. Pit couldn't tell his build under the tan trench coat the man wore, but he guessed muscular. _Who are you mystery man, who are you?_

---

Ike sat up against his Rover, his half finished cigarette no longer really appealing to him, sighing he let it drop to into a puddle by his feet. With a spacey, and well rehearsed, gaze he casually followed Link's every move with his eyes, all the while appearing not to. As soon as the blonde left he intended to get into his car, and follow the ass wherever he went tonight. As much as he bitched about it, he really did love nailing the asses of the world.

---

Walking across the hardwood of the kitchen, Pit swiftly made his way to the phone on the wall outside the kitchen. Grabbing the black plastic phone he punched in Link's cell phone number as fast as he could. It rang once. _Please pick up your phone Link, just please do that for me. _After two more rings he heard a click on the other end.

"I'll bet that you're not wearing anything but one of my dress shirts right now! Am I right?" Link said into the phone, happy as a clam. The small brunette's face turned beet red, mostly because it was true.

"Oh grow up!" The boy pouted. "I needed to tell you something that's _actually_ important."

"Shoot." Link replied climbing into the car and reaching into the glove

compartment for some gum.

"Well, don't look now, but there's a guy who doesn't live in the building just sort of hanging around all suspicious-like. He's in the parking lot, blue hair leaning against the orange truck." Pit exploded the information into the phone in a flurry of words only somebody who knew him as well as Link could decipher.

"Yeah, I know, he's been staring at me since I left the building, it's really starting to creep me out." Link gave another casual side glance to the mystery stranger before he turned the key and started his car. As soon as he started his car the mystery stranger turned and climbed into his orange Rover, then started his own vehicle.

"Link, don't look now, but that guy might be following you!" Pit said into the phone, nervously eyeing the orange vehicle.

"Yeah I saw. I'm just gonna pretend like I don't see him for a while, see what he does." Link replied.

"Are you sure that's a smart idea?" Pit cried into the phone, clearly panicking.

"Pit don't worry, I can take care of my own shit. Beside's, you know I can take him." It was true, Link boxed and Pit knew from personal experience how strong he was.

"I love you, and try to relax." Link cooed.

"I love you too." The line went dead. Trying his best to follow Link's orders, Pit walked over to the living room and sat on the floor. Reaching for the remote he flipped to on demand.

"I hope he's okay." The boy thought aloud.

---

Ike was pretty sure that Link had no idea he was being followed, but just to be on the safe side he decided not to tail the blonde directly. The way he figured it he would just drive up about a block away from Soren's house, ditch his Rover, then wait for the blonde at Soren's place. If the blonde went to Soren's he could nail the guy, if he didn't go to Soren's than Ike really had no reason to care where the asshole was.

---

Link was very glad to have finally lost his 'tail' if he could even be called that. Either he and Pit were being paranoid or the strange blue haired man in the orange truck was a complete idiot because the blonde had lost him miles back.

Link turned the corner and carefully studied the armada of small houses lining the cul-de-sac, looking for the periwinkle blue one story house with the white trim and a small birch tree in the front yard. It amazed him how many times he had been to Soren's house, especially as of late, and yet he still did not know exactly where on the street the raven haired boy lived. Scanning both sides of the street the birch tree in the front lawn of one house finally caught his eye. With expert timing he guided the wheel with his palm and effortlessly slid into the narrow driveway.

As he turned the car off he studied the picture window on the front of the house, through it he had a perfect view of Soren scampering around the dining room, clearly trying to set something up. He closed the door of his car, not bothering to lock it as the jogged his way towards the front steps of the house. He had only just rung the doorbell when Soren casually opened the door. Link studied the boy, his black hair splayed about, no longer tied back into a ponytail. Link liked the way it looked, very sexy, and as if to add to the disheveled look Soren wore a pair of dress pants with an un-tucked maroon dress shirt. Sleeves rolled up, top two buttons undone.

"Hey sexy! You tryin' to seduce me?" Link said jokingly as Soren went in for a hug.

"Link It's so good to see you again!" The raven haired boy exclaimed as he drew the blonde into a warm hug, which Link kindly returned.

"Again? Soren we see each other on an almost daily basis."

"Well, maybe I miss you the days we don't see each other, ever think of that? Oh and the food just got here, hope Chinese is okay." Soren said walking his way into the kitchen to fetch a bottle of wine to compliment their 'fine' cuisine.

"Yeah Chinese is good, but I shouldn't eat much. Pit will probably be expecting me to eat dinner when I get back."

"How is Pit lately?" Soren asked, trying to maintain his balance on the chair he was standing on to reach the wine.

"He's just fine, better than ever. Do you want a hand with that?" Link asked watching Soren's struggle in the kitchen.

"Link I'm taller than you, of what help will you be?" Soren finally slid a bottle of Pinot Noir out of the top shelf. Strolling into the kitchen he popped the cork.

"Oh! Look at mister macho over here, you're only like an inch taller." Link retorted in a joking defensive voice.

"An inch is an inch, Link. Wine?"

"Yeah, wine." Link eyed the boy as he smoothly filled two glasses about halfway with the red liquor, his back to the blonde. After pausing for a moment he continued to fill the second until it was practically to the brim. Link eyed the glass quizzically.

"Tough day?" He asked putting his arms on Soren's shoulders from behind.

"You haven't the slightest." Soren replied taking a long swig of wine from the almost overflowing glass.

---

Ike for the life of him couldn't figure out exactly why he was as shocked as he was, he had no reason going into this to assume Link and Soren _weren't_ having an affair. But it just didn't seem real until now. He also wasn't sure why he had gone through three cigarettes in the about fifteen minutes he'd been standing outside of Soren's abode.

It probably had something to do with how angry this particular case was making him. This of course gave rise to the question of _why_ this case had him so hot under the collar. He didn't really want to think about the why at the moment though. In fact, frankly, he had been outright avoiding the word why all day.

_Why _was this so frustrating to him?

_Why _could he not stop thinking about Soren?

_Why _was everything so confusing to him all of a sudden?

He didn't know, or care to know. All he knew was that as he stood lighting his fourth cigarette his head felt as hot as embers. As he watched Link put his disgusting hands on Soren through the picture window, he felt fire, and not from his lighter.

---

"So how did it go?" Link said before sticking a piece of sticky General Tsao's chicken into his mouth.

"What, the interview? It went fine." Soren replied, delicately lifting a clump of white rice to his mouth with his chopsticks.

"You didn't do anything too stupid, did you? Man I'll bet you were a nervous wreck!" Link said pointing to the raven haired boy with his fork. Soren blushed slightly.

"I was not…I wasn't a wreck, okay!" Soren said aggressively shoving a string bean into his mouth.

"Did you come on to him at all?" Soren nearly spat half chewed string bean all over Link at the comment.

"Did I _what?!_" He gasped as he choked down the remnants of the bean.

"Y'know, did you put the moves on him, strut your stuff? Please tell me that you were at least a little bit flirty?" Link said putting down his fork. He was now fully invested in the conversation, and hanging on every word.

"I, well, _flirty_? Not exactly, I was…well I was friendly, I guess." Soren said, clearly embarrassed.

"_Friendly?_ Damn it Soren! How's Ike gonna know you like him if you never _once_ make him _think _you're interested? That's why we were coaching you for the past, I dunno, like two weeks. We've been building you up just for this, no way you're blowing it, not on my watch!" Link exclaimed. After a few moments of Soren not responding Link gently rubbed his back with his left hand.

"Look don't worry, I won't let you blow this, we're friends. Right? It'll just take a bit more work."

---

_Ike finished picking up all of the paperwork off the hardwood floor outside of his office. He shoved it back into the manila folder and then quickly composed himself._

"_Do you know about how long this has been going on for?" Ike asked in what he was surprised to hear was a very stern, professional voice._

_Marth and Roy glanced at each other for a moment and Roy simply shrugged his shoulders. With a sigh Marth answered the question._

"_Roy stumbled onto it about a week or two ago. He was going to pay Soren a visit, and he saw Link there acting all lovey-dovey with Soren. Or at least that's how it looked to him." Marth calmly explained._

"_Fuck that! They're definitely fucking!" Roy shot as soon as the bluenette had finished talking._

"_Thank you Roy, thank you for clarifying that!" Marth responded, gaping at his lover._

"_What did you see exactly, Roy?" Ike asked, turning to the redhead._

"_Well, they always ate at the table for a bit, had some wine. Then they would disappear off into the house somewhere. The only window you can really see through is the window in the dining room, but it was just really clear what was going on."_

"_You spied on them more than once?" Ike asked._

"_Well I wouldn't say _spied_."_

"_About how many times?"_

"_I'd say about five or six." Roy answered, suddenly feeling like he should be on the defensive._

"_But you never actually _saw_ anything happen?" Ike asked back, not sure what he was prying for._

"_Look man, whatever. I know what I saw! I'd bet anything that something's up! I mean this was almost every night for the past _two weeks_! It doesn't take a genius to figure that something is going on!"_

---

Clenching what was now his eighth cigarette between his teeth he could see exactly what Roy had meant in that hallway. It _was_ obvious. As he stood and watched the blond rub the raven haired boy's back, he felt his blood boil. Biting down too hard he felt the filter crush in his mouth. Quickly he spat the cigarette out and fished around the pocket of his jacket for another pack.

---

"Look, it's really easy, just say something like 'hey there sexy!' But do it in a joking way, see how he reacts. Then go from there." Link said, resisting the urge to even touch his food.

"But what if he's not gay, what if he doesn't like guys?" Soren said sadly, thinking back to that day at the diner. _This isn't a date Soren… _The words still stuck in his mind.

"No, see that's why you do it in a joking manner, you just 'pretend' hit on him, if you catch my drift. I did this with Pit for like a whole hour the first time we met. And you know what? It worked! In one hour I was sure that not only did he like guys, but that my chances were pretty good." Link said reassuringly.

"But this is different." Soren pleaded.

"How is it any different?"

"Well, its…Pit is just very obviously…well you can tell that Pit is gay. He's about as flamboyant as they come. Worse than Roy and Marth." Soren said quietly. There was a long silence, which was finally broken when Link let out the laugh he'd been struggling to holding in.

"I guess that's true isn't it!" Link said through his laughter. Now he even had Soren chuckling.

" I'm sorry, it's just that it _is_ true." Soren said fighting his own growing laughter.

"That's not funny, that's not funny at all!" Link said practically on the verge of tears. After about another minute of laughing they finally had control of themselves again.

"Look Soren, the point of me coaching you these past two weeks was that you'd be able to just go for it. If you don't lighten up and just go for it, you're not gonna get this guy, alright? Besides, I wanna meet Ike the mystery man. If he's anything like you say he is he must be a blast." Link said.

It killed him to see his friend having such a hard time with something he really couldn't help him with very much. It was just two weeks ago that Soren had told him he was gay. It hadn't really surprised the blond, he always had a feeling. There had even been a time when he'd considered asking Soren out himself. Water under the bridge now though, he had Pit and that was all he needed.

"He is Link, he's really something. I just can't, what if Ike says no?" Soren said staring broodingly at the food on his plate.

"Say no! To smokin' hottie like you Soren? I don't think so."

---

Ike was fully aware of what he was supposed to be doing in a case at this stage, all the mistakes that could be made, the proper procedures. Which meant that he wasn't at all foggy on the fact that he should not be telling _anybody_ other than his clients about the evidence he had found thus far. Because of this he couldn't help but wonder why he was in the phone booth outside his office rifling through the phonebook looking for the last name Litsky.

_Pit lives with Link, so If I call now, while Link is still at Soren's, we can do a quick meeting somewhere._ He finally found the address and punched it into the surprisingly clean metal keypad.

"Pit here!!!" A high pitched voice bubbled into the phone.

"Um, yeah, hello ma'am. I was just wondering if Pit was available." Ike said into the phone, wondering who the hell this woman could possibly be.

" I just said 'Pit here.' I'm Pit, you dolt. Speaking of which, who are you ?" The boy asked jokingly.

At this point Ike just wanted to crawl into a hole and die. _Why is every boy in this town like a girl? Is it genetic? Something in the water? That's it, that must be it! The government is attacking our water supply with estrogen!!_

" Ah, sorry about that. I hope you don't mind the misunderstanding."

"Not at all ." Ike immediately switched to the most assertive, tactile voice he had.

"I'm actually a private investigator Pit. My name is ." The boys tone changed to nervous immediately.

"Well, um can I help you with something then? I swear I didn't do anything!" The boys suddenly collapsed into near hysterics. Trying to calm him Ike started to spout anything he could into the receiver.

"No, Pit, wait, Pit! This is not about anything _you_ did! Just calm down! Breath. Are you breathing, Pit?" Ike heard the boy rasp into the phone for a few moments.

"Yeah, sorry. I'm easily excitable. Link says that its cute, but he also says it can get me into trouble." Ike winced at the comment. _That fucking rat bastard, what a cute kid._

"Don't worry. Look, while we're on the subject is Link home now?"

"No, do you have a message for him? Wait, did _he _do something wrong!?!" _Christ, not again._

"No, Pit, don't do that again, Link did nothing wrong!" _What a god damn lie._ " I just need to talk to you. But you're not in trouble, so don't freak out on me please! Where is a good place to meet? Make it somewhere public, that way I can't try anything if you don't trust me." Ike switched tactics, going for a softer reassuring voice instead of a harsh serious one.

"Well…okay. Link left his address book here." Ike heard the sound of rummaging in the background. "Okay never mind the book, I've got one! How about 437 Bidel Street?" Ike couldn't believe he had possibly heard the address correctly.

"Um, Pit, do you know what exactly is on 437 Bidel Street? I think we should meet somewhere-" He was cut off by a loud banging on the other end of the line.

"Whoops, shit! Yeah its close to our apartment. Besides, I don't know many other places that would be open at this hour." Pit scrambled to put all of the movies he had knocked off of the shelf in the living room back onto the rack while holding the phone with his shoulder and chin.

"Look I've got to go Mr. Spiegel, meet you there in about fifteen minutes?" Pit reached out for the 'end' button on the phone.

"Wait Pit! I don't think you-" The line went dead in his hands.

"God damn it. Oh, god damn it!" Ike yelled slamming the phone into its hook.

As Ike trudged off towards 437 Bidel Street he didn't even notice the man in the black pea coat and pinstriped fedora who had heard their whole conversation. The man quickly fanned out the popped collar of the pea coat so that it almost fully concealed his face. Shoving his hands into the deep pockets of the coat, the stranger slowly walked down the sidewalk, the bluenette never leaving his sight.

_---_

"Alright, enough of this talking about our feeling bullshit! We're either watching a movie or having sex, right now!" Link yelled, his lips clearly loosened by the wine. Soren sighed and stood up from the table, looking at his first glass of wine, still half empty. _He's way too gone to drive. Guess I'll have to take him home._

"Fine, sex it is." Soren said with a smirk. Link jokingly groped at Soren and laughed.

"You dumb ass, I was kidding! I'll look for a movie."

"Sounds good to me, but don't make it something gay. I wanna see boobies!!!" Link yelled stumbling slightly in his incredibly buzzed, but not quite drunken state.

"You're gay, you idiot!" Soren called to the man as he searched the cabinet in the living room for a DVD.

---

Standing outside of Paddy's Gay Bar Ike wanted to die. He just really, really wanted to die. Immediately uncomfortable, he pulled out what he thought was either his twelfth or thirteenth cigarette of the night. Sticking it in his mouth and lighting it, he anxiously glance at his watch, Pit probably wouldn't be here for about another five minutes or so. It was then that he turned and looked down to see a small brunette about a foot shorter than him standing directly in front of him. He recognized the small boy from the photograph immediately.

"Hey Pit you're early. I just-"

"Wait you're the guy from our parking lot!" Pit stammered staring up at the bluenette, wide eyed.

"Pit what are you talking about-"

"STRANGER DANGER!!!" Pit screamed, and punched Ike directly in the crotch. The small boy proceeded to run of down an alley next to the bar. Ike's whole body was screaming in pain and he felt nauseous.

"WHAT!?!" Ike screamed as he leaned against the wall, trying to process what had just happened, and resisting the urge to kill the brunette.

_Oh I'll kill him, I'll kill that little bastard, son of a bitch, mother fucker… _Still writhing in pain Ike, after giving a quick glance down the sidewalk for anybody who might 'misinterpret' the situation, took off into the alley. Looking down the small alcove he immediately spotted the boy cringing against the brick wall about twenty feet in. Dead end, Pit was all out of road.

_Well thank god for that at least._ Ike took a couple steps towards the boy before retreating slightly. The brunette looked ready to cry, clearly he was terrified. Ike put his hands up in surrender, trying to ignore the pain and adrenaline.

"Look, I don't know what that was about Pit, but I forgive you. I'm not here to hurt you." The boy seemed to calm down somewhat, but still looked wary.

"Why were you loitering around our parking lot earlier tonight? Are you stalking me." Ike knew he was going to have to come clean.

"Pit, I wasn't following you, I was following Link."

The boy stared up at the bluenette, confounded.

"Pit, I have to tell you something, something you're not going to like. Lets go inside, we shouldn't talk out here." He extended a hand to the boy, who took it, still confused. Leading the brunette towards the door to the bar, he felt horrible.

_Besides, I could really use a drink._

No Love For Link, End


	4. Chapter 4

**No Love**

**4-No Love For Roy**

**---**

_**I'm a lucky guy, and I don't bullshit myself about it either. I know that chances were about one in a million I would actually find somebody who could manage to put up with me. Marth, he was a real find, I think I would have driven anybody else away a long time ago. Actually, sometimes I wonder how I haven't driven him away yet. God knows I've done enough to make him want to just pack up and go. But then at the end of the day, after all the shit I put him through, he just smiles at me. Just smiles, and its like he doesn't even have to say I'm forgiven, I just know I am. It's not fair, it really isn't, and that's why I love him so much.**_

**---**

**The two sat in a booth towards the back of the bar, underneath a poster of two palm tree's with a hammock stretched in between the them. At the bottom it simply said- 'Corona, miles away from ordinary. Ike had insisted that he and Pit sit in the back where as few people as possible could see them together. He wasn't comfortable with the idea of being in a gay bar, not in the slightest, and he wasn't comfortable with the stares that he and his partner were getting either.**_** I can only imagine what they're thinking.**_

**The waiter came over and, after drooling over each of them sufficiently, asked to take their drink order. It was now Ike decided to give his company a mandatory once over.**

**He was a very young, very attractive kid with chocolate brown hair, a round face, and striking blue eyes. The clothes had been what first caught Ike's attention however, the boy was wearing a pair of baggy black pants with all manner of belts, chains, and zippers attached to them. In addition to that he wore bulky white leather high tops and a purple t-shirt with the word 'UKE' printed across the front . On his left wrist was a brown leather cuff which perfectly matched the brown leather collar around the boys neck. **_**Y'know what Ike, just bite your tongue. Just bite down hard and don't make fun of the poor kid.**_

**Finally the drinks arrived, a kamikaze for Ike and the young brunette had ordered a mojito. As Ike stared at his drink, wondering if he should savor it or just down it fast, he glanced at the boy who was sipping his own drink. Remarkably he seemed to have calmed down significantly in the past few minutes, he wasn't anxious at all anymore. Ike on the other hand, well, his stomach was doing back flips and he felt incredibly guilty for some reason.**

"**Pit, how did you even get that drink? He must've known you were underage." The boy looked up at the bluenette innocently.**

"**Well, all of the servers here already know me. They know I'm allowed to drink in here."**

"**And why is it that you're allowed to drink in here?" The bluenette asked, already very confused.**

"**Because my aunt owns the bar." He said flatly. Ike nearly fell out of his chair.**

"**You're aunt owns a gay bar!? Your aunt! Are you serious!?" **

"**Well yeah. This is where I first met Link, actually." **_**He's the devil.**_** Ike thought to himself. **_**Link is just flat out the spawn of Satan, I knew it.**_

"**Listen Pit, I have something to tell you, about Link actually. Something you're going to really not want to hear." Ike hadn't had this hard of a time breaking the news to somebody in a while. It didn't help that this was quickly becoming the most stressful day of his life. And then there was the fact that because Pit was **_**technically**_** not his client, he should not be telling the boy **_**anything**_** he was about to.**

"**Um, okay." Pit suddenly felt worried, he didn't like the crazy serious vibe he was getting from the large man in front of him.**

"**Link is, well, this is hard to say. I'm pretty sure that…I'm investigating whether Link is cheating on you or not." There was a long, painful silence, which was eventually broken by Pit's nervous laughter.**

"**Well, so wait, investigating for who?" The small brunette asked, unable to keep his voice level.**

"**I can't say. To be frank, I shouldn't even be telling you any of what I am. This is a special circumstance however." The boy looked up at him, Ike could see the confusion in his eyes, the fear. The bluenette felt horrible, worse than he had felt all day.**

"**So who do you think he's cheating on me with?" Pit asked weakly, his voice cracking.**

" **His name is Soren. You've probably never-"**

"**I know Soren! Link is at his house right now!" Ike reeled visibly at the comment. **_**So Soren did know about Pit! That son of a bitch!**_

"**Yeah, well, I think that he might be there for…well, you know." He quickly skirted the issue.**

"**But, no, that's not…Link and Soren are just friends. They can't be…" The brunette trailed off. Sniffling the boy quickly swiped at his left eye, feeling tears beginning to well up. Ike decided to try and soften the blow for the boy, despite how certain he was.**

"**Listen, Pit, try not to get too worked up. This could all just be a misunderstanding. I actually… I need your help." He didn't believe a word that he was saying, but he needed to say something or else the boy would break out into hysterics. **

"**Help? With what?" The boy said still sniffling and on the verge of tears.**

"**Well…I…need to." Ike tried to think of something. " I need permission to bug your apartment." Ike said, he doubted he would get any evidence at all from bugs planted in **_**Link's**_** apartment but it was worth a shot. Plus at the moment, he just wanted to say anything to get Pit out of the bar and to keep him under control.**

**---**

**Sitting at a table near Ike, but behind him, the man in the pinstriped fedora was having an impossible time hearing anything that the two were saying over the crowd. Silently he sat and sipped a club soda, continuing to eye the two out of the corner of his eye.**

**---**

**Both Ike and Pit were now out on the sidewalk, headed towards Links apartment which was surprisingly close to Ike's office. The young boy had consumed about four mohito's in the thirty minutes between when Ike had broken the news to him, and now. It was probably because of the boys relatively small size, but it was obvious to Ike that the kid could not hold his liquor. The tall bluenette ended up piggybacking the brunette all of the way back to the apartment. **

"**I don't believe you." The boy mumbled into Ike's back, barely audible as they descended the flights of stairs leading up to the second floor. **

"**Pit, I didn't say I knew for certain, I was just presenting you with my finding." Ike had decided not to even touch his Kamikaze, and was glad he hadn't. He needed to be sober right now, and he needed to think.**

"**I don't care, Link wouldn't do that. You don't know him, he's not like that." Pit continued, still talking under his breath into Ike's tan coat.**

**---**

**Opening the door to the apartment Ike walked in and set the boy down on his feet. The brunette proceeded to gracefully crash himself into a love seat as soon as Ike released him. Afterwards he proceeded to lie where he'd landed, his face buried into the cushion and both his knees on the hardwood floor. His rear was sticking straight up in the air as he breathed quietly into the green couch cushion. Ike tried his best to ignore the boys positioning and reached into breast pocket. He fished around feeling a ballpoint pen, a pack of gum, and a penny, his fingers finally brushed a small rectangle. Fishing it out of the pocket he stared at the small black plastic rectangle. It was listening device, not a fancy one, but a pretty good one. After rummaging through the shelves in the kitchen of the apartment Ike finally found some 3M brand scotch tape. **

_**This is gonna be the shittiest bug planting of my life, but here goes.**_** He walked into the bedroom and looked immediately to the picture on the bedside table. It was one of Link and Pit, they appeared to be in the woods sitting in front of a campfire. The larger blonde had the small boy completely wrapped in a hug from behind. The boy was smiling up at him and appeared to be laughing in the shot. It made Ike sick to his stomach. **

**Taking the tape he stuck the bug to the back of the picture and then angled it around on the table so that the bug was no longer visible. Feeling along the smooth sides of the bug, he finally found the grey dial that controlled the mic's sensitivity. With his index finger the turned the dial until the bug was at about medium volume.**

**As he went to leave Ike turned to the boy still facedown on the couch with his ass up in the air.**

"**Pit I planted the bug for you. Its behind the picture on the bedside table." There was nothing but silence from the small brunette.**

"**Pit, I'm sorry. Just… feel better I guess."**

"**You're wrong." The boy mumbled. Ike couldn't tell if he was asleep or not.**

**---**

**The man in the black pea coat watched the bluenette walk out of the apartment and descend the staircase, the stranger carefully tilted the pinstripe fedora down, covering his face. As the bluenette neared the final step on the stairs the stranger heard him mumble under his breath "that should satisfy him." Watching Ike walk off down the parking lot the stranger was already going through his contacts list. Finally the name Marth was highlighted by the black cursor. The man hit the green 'accept' button and after four rings he was connected with Marth.**

"**Roy, where in the hell are you? I said I was making dinner, then I come out of the kitchen a minute later and you're just gone! What the hell!?" The man removed his fedora revealing a head of bright red hair. Shaking his hair out, Roy glanced down the sidewalk to make sure that Ike was completely out of sight.**

"**Sorry Marth, just had to tie up some loose ends."**

"**Yeah? Well give me one good reason I shouldn't just chuck the leftovers I put in the fridge for you!" Marth fumed into the phone.**

"**Well, you remember that detective guy?" Roy asked gingerly, aware of how thin the ice he was on was.**

"**Oh, and why in god's name did you take my pea coat!? I swear to god if you lose that coat!"**

"**Marth, don't do this now, Please! Focus, detective, we hired him today." Roy said into the phone, pleading with his lover.**

"**Yeah, the dumb ass right."**

" **Right. Well we've got problems Marth! We've got real fucking problems!"**

"**Like what Roy?" Suddenly Marth wasn't mad anymore. Suddenly Marth was very, very worried.**

"**Like that the detective is sleeping with Pit, Marth!"**

"**No god damn way."**

"**Yes god damn way!" Roy yelled into the phone. "I heard it myself, the detective said, quote 'that should satisfy him' after he left the apartment. The apartment, I'd like to point out that he piggybacked Pit to completely smashed." Marth tried to interject, but was cut off before he got a word out.**

"**But it gets even better, guess where Pit got completely smashed!? Ike and Pit were at a fucking gay bar together! How about them fucking apples Marth!" There was long silence on the other end of the phone.**

"**Oh dear! What are the odds?" Marth asked into the phone.**

**---**

**Ike woke up to a loud knocking at his office door, squinting he looked up and tried to figure out where he was. Suddenly he became aware of the fact that the sleeping bag he was in was coiling around him and he'd become tangled. In a fit of claustrophobia he kicked and squirmed until the bag was off of him.**

"**Um, hello? Mr.- damn it, I meant Ike, are you there? Is the office closed today?" Ike scowled immediately. **

_**Soren…**_

**Now fully awake, Ike stood up and stomped his way over to the door. Throwing the wooden door open he tried his hardest to look pleasant, but between his grogginess and his anger, he was sure he wasn't doing very good.**

"**Hey Soren." He said yawning. The raven haired boy's face immediately went beet red. It probably had something to do with the fact that Ike had answered the door in nothing but his boxers.**

"**I, um, yeah. Hi Ike." Soren stammered awkwardly, trying his hardest to maintain eye contact.**

"**Yeah, sorry about the whole 'no clothes' thing. I'm just going to head into the bathroom. I guess I'll be out in a minute, or whatever." Ike immediately caught Soren glancing down, back up at his eyes, then back down again. **_**He's not checking me out is he? Is he? **_

"**Take your time." Soren mumbled, clearly distracted. Once again Ike noticed that Soren's eyes seemed to be taking in everything **_**below **_**his shoulders. Suddenly he felt self conscious, not embarrassed just…**

_**Does he like what he's seeing?**_

**Ike was caught so completely off guard by his own question. Now his face was the one turning red.**

"**So I'll just be a minute then." Before the raven haired boy could respond Ike had practically run to the bathroom. Now standing in the small bathroom of his office Ike stared at himself in the mirror. **

_**Okay, what the hell!? What was that? Why should I even care what Soren thinks? He's an asshole, a jerk. He doesn't care who he hurts, he's just a whore.**_

**But Ike didn't buy it, not one word he said could convince himself it was true. Could Soren really be like that? He didn't think so.**

_**He's to nice. He's so gentle and kind. Besides, I think I love him. **_**That last part hit Ike like a ton of bricks, because it was true, he did think he loved Soren. **_**You can't love Soren dude, he's a…well, he is a dude! This is messed up, this is so messed up! You can't be, I mean, I am not gay! All those girlfriends, I mean c'mon, there's no way! **_

**Now Ike really wasn't believing himself. Turning the faucet on he splashed his face with cold water and tried to clear his mind. **_**You are not gay, you do not love Soren. Soren is a bad, bad guy. You're high, or drunk, or crazy, because you are not making any sense right now! **_**His hands, now shaking, started to splash the water onto his unruly blue locks, which were sticking up every which way.**

_**Well why not? Why couldn't I be gay, or at the very least bisexual? Would that really be so crazy? As for Soren, who knows? I could have it all wrong. **_**He ran his fingers through his wet hair. **_**Now that sounds like grade A bullshit if I ever heard it. But then why does it sound so rational to me!? **_**He reached for the towel hanging from the magazine rack on the wall across from the toilet. **

**Frantically he started to rub his hair and face dry. **_**Alright enough of this, no more of this bullshit! I'll settle it, I'll settle it right now! **_**Reaching into the cabinet beneath the sink Ike started to search the pockets of the overcoat he had been wearing when he came home last night. Finally he fished out what he was looking for, the penny.**

"**Okay, here goes. Heads, your gayer than disco. Tails, you're straight, and you'll give this whole thing a rest." He went to toss the coin in the air, but hesitated. Drawing in a deep breath he finally tossed the coin. Closing his eyes, he winced, waiting to hear the sound of the coin hitting the tiles on the bathroom floor. Instead he heard the soft plunk of a small piece of copper breaking the surface tension of the water in the toilet bowl.**

"**Shit! God damn it!" He yelled running over to the toilet, as he leaned over the bowl to see how the coin had landed he accidentally leaned on the flush lever. With a look of pure disbelief he watched as the bright piece of copper was lost down the drain of the spotless porcelain toilet.**_** I think that god may be trying to tell you something Ike. **_**That did it, he needed a walk. He just needed some fresh air to think and clear his mind. **

**Reaching into the cabinet beneath the sink he pushed aside the jacket and the other clothes he was storing down there. Finally he found a pair of jeans he had only worn once in the past few days and a pink linen shirt he hadn't worn in about a week. Putting both on he sprayed himself with axe and flung open the door to the bathroom.**

"**Alright Soren I need to head out for something." He said jogging for the door and trying his hardest to avoid eye contact with the boy.**

"**Oh, okay then. Should I just stay here and-"**

"**Yes, yeah, good idea! You should definitely, definitely stay here. Then I'll go and you'll stay here, and you'll be here at the office-"**

"**In case anybody drops by?" Soren finished Ike's sentence, cocking his eyebrow in confusion. Ike sure seemed flustered.**

"**Absolutely, you read my mind. You sure are smart, which is why I hired you- Have you seen my jacket?" Ike said in an increasingly nervous tone as he struggled with the lock on the door. After a few moments of struggle he realized that the door was not only unlocked, but that he had unlocked it himself only minutes ago.**

"**Ike its actually really warm out today, for fall I mean. Its like sixty degrees." Soren said, unsure of what to make of the bluenette's uncharacteristic behavior.**

"**Oh, right… I'll just go then."**

"**Well alright. See you later **_**sexy.**_**" Soren said in a clearly joking tone, trying his best to follow Link's advice. The room went silent for what felt like an eternity to both.**

"**Right, yeah. I'm gonna go. I have to be at the thing and buy some places and… buy shit- I'll see you later!" With that Ike ran out the door and down the hall, not bothering to close the door behind him.**

**Soren stood next to the desk unsure and embarrassed. **_**He's not gay, not at all, and now he thinks I'm a creep. I must look so stupid right now. **_**Feeling completely defeated the raven haired boy sighed sunk into the chair behind the desk resting his face in his hands.**

**---**

**As Ike sped down the stairs, taking them three at a time, he missed Roy and his lover walking down the hallway coming from the front entrance. Without giving a single glance down the hall Ike hurriedly walked through the back door to give some serious thought to his little 'situation'. **

**---**

**As Marth prepared to knock on the door to Ike's office, he turned to Roy suddenly having a very bad feeling.**

"**Are you sure of what you saw Roy?" He looked at his lover uncertain.**

"**Yeah, as sure as I was about the Soren thing. It's ironclad lovely, I'm telling you."**

"**Alright. I don't know though, I just have a really bad feeling that we shouldn't be doing this."**

"**What confronting the detective, are you kidding! We have to figure out what the hell this guy's problem is, and fast! This whole thing is completely out of control!" You fumed at Marth.**

"**No I mean like, I just have a bad feeling, like we've forgotten something or something." Marth said, rubbing the back of his neck.**

"**Well you know what, forget you! I'm going in there, and I'm telling him exactly what I think of him!" Roy opened the door and stormed in.**

"**Ike you slippery son of a-" **

"**Hi Roy!" Soren said, sorting the piles of dockets and files that had been on top of the filing cabinets into alphabetical order. **_**Again? Really!? Can I not catch a break!?! **_**Roy cursed to himself, incredulous to the fact that once again he was stuck in this same position.**

"**Oh, yeah, um… hey Soren!" He said, trying to play off his entrance. Soren suddenly rose from the floor and carried a large pile of documents with him.**

"**Ugh, excuse me, I just don't think I can sit on the ground anymore. So uncomfortable. Its sort of funny how we keep on meeting by chance like this, though." Soren said cheerily.**

"**Yeah, it sure is strange, huh?" Roy covered. **_**Wow, Soren sure is clueless. Thank god.**_

"**So Roy is your squeeze here with you or…" Soren asked looking around the room. Marth was about to slink down the hallway when he heard Roy call him out.**

"**Yep. **_**He sure is, aren't you Marth?**_**" Roy said looking directly at the door.**

"**Hi Soren." Marth mumbled walking into the office. Now standing over the desk Soren started to open up the files and flip through them, looking for loose papers that might fall out. As he looked over the file, he pushed up the rims of his wire framed glasses. Normally he'd have worn contacts, but he thought glasses suited him better. He'd been slightly disappointed Ike hadn't said anything, actually. As Soren flipped through the last few pages inside of a red docket, Roy slowly came up behind the raven head and tried to sneak a peek.**

"**Um, Roy you can't be reading these, they're Ike's files. They're classified." Soren said, closing the folder and pushing up the glasses that were sliding down his nose again.**

"**Well then why are you allowed to read it, Soren?" Marth asked, suddenly wondering what exactly Soren was doing in Ike's office.**

"**I work here, actually. Ike hired me just yesterday. Remember, I told you guys at the café." **_**Oh right, he did say that didn't he, how could you forget that Marth, you blockhead, **_**the blunette thought to himself.**

"**Speaking of which what are you guys doing here?" Soren asked halfheartedly, now flipping through the contents of an olive folder.**

"**Oh, you know Soren, we're just here to visit our good pal Ike." Roy immediately knew that he had said something he shouldn't have. Marth instantly shot him a glare that confirmed his suspicions.**

"**What do you mean 'good friend' Roy? I thought that you guys just met Ike yesterday?" Both the bluenette and the redhead's blood froze. **

"**Well y'see when we said that we were just, I mean, we did just meet him yesterday. But we felt like we had a connection, just a real, real deep connection." Marth lied, improvising as he went along.**

"**Oh it was deep, just so deep! It was deep and me and Marth loved it. So we just decided y'know- that was deep, we both liked it, lets head on over and get some more!" Roy continued, trying to help bail Marth out. Soren gaze darted between the two, clearly in awe.**

"**Are you guys talking about sex?" Soren asked, clearly lost.**

"**Sex? Sex!? No Soren get your mind out of the gutter, jeez." Marth said forcing a laugh. **

**Just as he finished brushing off the red eyed boy he glanced down into the pile of files Soren was going through and saw something that almost made him faint. Sitting at the top of the pile was a tan manila folder, the same folder that Marth and Roy had given to Ike just the other day. Distinctly pock marked with gashes on the bottom corners where Roy had taken a staple remover to it.**

"**Well, okay, I guess." Soren said skeptically. Uneasily he returned to looking through the olive folder. **

**Behind The raven haired boys back Marth frantically mouthed to Roy what he had discovered.**

" _**That's our folder!" **_**He mouthed pointing to the folder on top of the pile. Roy's eyes went wide as saucers.**

"_**What the hell do we do!?!" **_**Roy mouthed frantically, making all sorts of had gestures that meant nothing. Marth shrugged his shoulders and spastically started to scan the room for something, anything, that might help. Suddenly he spotted a stapler on top of filing cabinet. On the fly Marth came up with what could be the worst idea he had ever had in his life.**

"_**One second." **_**Marth mouthed as he slowly worked his way over to the stapler. Roy looked at him puzzled and threw up his arms in confusion as he watched Marth Pick up the stapler. **

"**Oh my god look out Soren!!!" Marth screamed suddenly, chucking the stapler as hard as he could in Soren's direction. **_**Sorry asshole, but we can't risk you finding out yet.**_** As Marth watched the stapler fly through the air in what looked like slow motion to him, he started to get another bad feeling. He wondered if he had perhaps overreacted. **

**In what was an almost superhuman display of reflex and motor skills Soren instantly ducked, dropping the olive folder and spilling it's contents. The trajectory of the stapler immediately changed from a collision course with Soren's head to a collision course with Roy, who was unfortunately not as fast as Soren. **

**The stapler connected perfectly with Roy's forehead just above the eyebrow, as soon as it hit Marth heard a crack that made shudder. As Roy recoiled backwards he hit his head against the wall behind him, instantly going slack, he slumped against the wall and slowly slid to the floor. Sitting up against the wall, Roy's head sat limply on his shoulders, focused downward. **

**Marth saw the blood running down from beneath his lovers red bangs and dripping onto the floor. All Soren could do was stare at the lifeless boy, his hands cupped over his mouth in shock.**

"**Oh god, Roy!!" Marth yelled running to his lover, before he could even touch his the boy to make sure he was okay he saw the red head stir slightly.**

"**Marth…" The redhead said, his voice barely audible.**

"**Yeah Roy, I'm here. Thank god you're alive!" The bluenette exclaimed, relieved he hadn't accidentally killed his lover.**

"**WHAT IN THE FUCKING FUCK!!!" Roy screamed, jerking his head up so suddenly that Marth jumped.**

**No Love For Roy, End**


	5. Chapter 5

No Love

5- No Love For Soren

---

_I'm sitting in a diner, it's the same diner that he goes to every day at around three. I think that three might be Ike's lunch break, or something like that. As I sit here, toying with a Caesar salad I have no intention of eating I watch him sitting in his booth, he's always by himself too. He's eating his usual, chicken tenders and a side of waffle fries, all tucked neatly into a wax-paper coated basket. All of the time's I've watched him here, and I've never even spoken to him once. He said hi to me one time, but I couldn't think of anything to say back. The only reason I even know his name is because I've heard the owner call him by it. _

_I'm always lost in thought when I sit here, staring at him. The thoughts of course are always about him- him coming over to my booth, him sitting down and talking to me. I think how happy we would be- him and me. He just stares out the window though, there's nothing in particular he looks at, he just stares. I think that he's thinking when he does that. He's so cute when he's lost in his own thoughts, his blue eyes staring up at the sky past the thick pane glass. I'd love to know what he's thinking. I'd love if Ike was thinking about me…_

---

"Oh man Marth, what did you do!?!" Soren yelled, helping the bluenette lift Roy to his feet. Blood was now spurting out of the fresh gash on the redhead's forehead and dripping down the side of his face.

"Look it's not important right now, we need to get him into the bathroom!" Marth replied, draping one of Roy's arms over his shoulder.

"Why the bathroom?" Soren asked, hoisting the other arm over his own shoulder.

"I don't know! To clean him up or something!!"

" Wow, I'm feelin' real woozy guys. Was I in an accident? Hey guys, is it Tuesday?" Roy mumbled, slurring his speech as he ranted on. Trying to ignore the redhead both Soren and the bluenette struggled to drag Roy, who had gone completely rag doll in their arms.

"No, Roy, its Friday. Are you feeling alright?" Marth asked, concerned for his lover and worried about his sudden speech impediment.

"Oh, well let me think- No!!! I'm not! Cuz you hit me in my face!!! Why you do that, you stupid blueberry!? Yeah that's right, you, mister 'my hair is blueberry'!" Marth was taken aback by the sudden burst of emotion. Before he even got the chance to reply the redhead was shouting again.

"How dare you treat me this way on my birthday!!!" Roy screamed, clearly suffering from a head injury.

"Oh god Roy! Today is _not_ your birthday! Think, do you remember when your birthday _actually _is?" Marth asked, now thoroughly worried that Roy had a _very _serious concussion.

"Umm…" The redhead paused for what felt like a minute to think. "Tuesday?"

"Jesus Christ we need to take him to a hospital. Why are we in the bathroom!? This is a waste of time!!!" The bluenette yelled now in a full blown panic.

"I don't know Marth, you're the one who said we needed to clean him up!" Soren replied, now almost as panicked as Marth was.

"Well I'm sorry! Its just that there's blood everywhere, I broke his head and- okay we're wasting time! Forget the bathroom, we're going to the hospital." Marth said, trying to pivot his lover to exit the cramped room.

"Do you even have a car Marth?" Soren asked trying to squeeze himself and Roy through the doorway.

"Yeah, a Mercedes. It's parked out front." Marth called back to Soren who for reasons unknown felt compelled to close the bathroom door behind him. _Can't make a mess while Ike is out, _he thought bitterly.

"Good, at least we won't need to call an ambulance." Soren said, trying to tug Roy back up to shoulder height. The redhead now seemed to be actively resisting their attempts to carry him.

"Hey guys, is it my birthday party? Where are we going? We can't leave! The clowns coming and there's gonna be cake! Wait a minnit… its not Tuesday, is it!?" Suddenly Roy dug his heels into the hardwood, and uselessly fought against the youths who were trying their hardest not to lose patience with him.

Soren and Marth had to fight to keep the concussed boy under control as they walked him to the car parked out front, leaving a very distinct blood trail as the went. The whole way out Roy begging with them desperately to let him at least stay for the magician.

---

Ike was walking through town, trying to clear his thoughts when he got a call on his cell phone from a number he had never seen before. After a few rings he decided that maybe he would pick up the phone, despite not wanting to talk to anybody.

"Hello, Ike Spiegel here. How may I help you?" He said into the phone halfheartedly.

"Ike…its me, Pit." The small chocolate haired boy said, suddenly wishing he hadn't even called. Ike perked up immediately, worried something had happened.

"Oh, sorry Pit, didn't know it was you. How are you feeling? Hangover?" Ike asked.

"Yeah, a little bit. How many aspirin is a safe amount?" The boy said, reaching for the bottle of aspirin by the sink.

"Um, with aspirin. Gee, I think that someone your size can take two. But don't hold me too it." There was a slight pause on Pit's side of the phone, followed by a gasp.

"Too late, down they go." Pit responded, laughing sadly. Ike's heart wrenched.

"Listen Pit, did you need someone to talk to or something like that?" Ike asked.

"Yeah, someone to talk to would be good Ike. Besides, I think I might owe you a lunch." The boy said already slipping on his shoes.

"How do you figure, Pit?" Ike asked, confused.

"Well, mojito's aren't cheap Ike, and I can't remember but I'm thinking I had a lot last night." The boy said into the phone bitterly.

"Oh, Pit, hey don't worry about that." Ike replied gently.

"Could you meet me outside my apartment?" Pit asked. Quickly Ike scanned around himself, trying to pinpoint exactly _where_ he had wandered to.

"Yeah, I can be there in about five minutes Pit. Just hang tight." With that Ike hung up his phone. Turning around, he started to jog the way he had come from.

---

"So wait, if its not Tuesday, what else are you guys lying to me about?" The redhead asked, raising and lowering the window in the passengers seat of Marth's car.

"Roy, we never told you it was Tuesday. Will you get off it already, you're starting to really scare me!" Marth said, nervous and agitated. He was already having a real tough time focusing on driving.

"Hey, wait…Holy Shit!! Why am I bleeding? What happened? Did I have an accident!?!" Roy screamed, touching his hand to his scalp, which was matted with fresh blood.

"Yeah, Roy, you did. Remember, stapler, you got hit in the face?" Soren said from the backseat behind Marth, reaching over to stop Roy from playing with the window any more.

"Wait, I got hit with a stapler? Why?" Roy said, genuinely dumbfounded.

"Because…because I threw it at you Roy." Marth said in a guilty tone. For a while Roy stared directly at Marth before suddenly and unexpectedly bursting into tears.

"This is the worst birthday I ever had!!" The redhead screamed, slamming the dashboard with his feet.,

"Oh, Roy, no stop! Dammit Roy, stop!" Marth yelled, jerking the wheel as he tried to stop Roy from kicking the dashboard anymore.

"Jesus Marth, focus on the road!" Soren yelled as Marth swerved into the lane next to theirs. A yellow pickup honking at them as the driver slammed on the brakes.

"Why? Its not my dash! Its not my dash! Not my dash! Its your stupid dash you stupid blueberry!" Roy spewed in such a way that neither Soren nor Marth were sure of what he'd said.

"God almighty, you're head is already screwed up enough, the last thing we need is the airbag going off in your face." Marth said, turning his attention back to the road.

"I don't think that you can set off the airbag that easily Marth." Soren said in an exhausted tone, his nerves totally fried.

"You're face is an airbag, bitch!!" Roy yelled out the window, the wind from outside blowing drops of blood into the backseat.

"Damn it Roy, close the fucking window! Sheesh!" Soren said, narrowly missing getting sprayed with the liquid.

"You're face is a winnow!" Roy slurred. As the group drove down the street, very much in violation of the speed limit. They were all either too preoccupied or too concussed to notice Ike and Pit sitting in a booth by the window inside of Lenny's Eats.

---

Slightly out of breath, Ike had to stop and breath for a moment upon finally reaching Link's apartment. The brunette stared at him puzzled as he bent over, his hands on his knees, taking deep gasps of air.

"Hey Pit, sorry to keep you waiting." Ike managed to choke.

"Did you run here Ike? Why would you do that? I didn't need to talk about anything urgent." The Brunette said, giggling quietly. Ike stared up into the boy's eyes.

_They really are beautiful eyes, so full of life. They betray him though, his emotions. He's got no poker face. You can see his sadness in his eyes._

"You didn't? Really? Well maybe _I _needed to talk to _you _about something urgent. Ever think of that one?" Ike said, smiling and patting the small boy on the shoulder. Suddenly he felt better, he wasn't sure if it had anything to do with Pit's company or maybe something else, but he had a good feeling.

"_You_ wanted to see _me_?" Pit asked, confused. The large bluenette draped his arm around Pits shoulders and began to walk down the street towards "Lenny's Eats" with Pit in tow.

"Yeah, how about we go get that lunch you owe me? My treat." Ike said laughing to himself.

---

Sitting up against the red leather of the booth inside the diner, Pit felt uncomfortable, more like confused, actually. Since last night, he didn't know what to think, whether to believe this blue haired detective, or Link. He had to choose between a stranger that he trusted, and the love of his life, and he wasn't sure which he believed.

"Relax, Pit, this isn't a date." Ike said, chuckling to himself as he remembered his and Soren's first lunch together. Immediately the boy forced a smile, trying to be pleasant for the kind older man.

"I know I just-"

"Did you believe me, about what I said last night? Do you think that Link is cheating on you?" Ike interrupted, scanning the restaurant to see if the waiter was coming back with their drinks yet.

"What do you mean!? You're the one who told me that they were having an affair!' Pit said, offended by Ike's comment. _How dare he just say it like that!_

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt your feelings, all I meant was…did you believe me? Think, think hard. Do you think that Link would be capable of something like that?" For understandable reasons this was a touchy subject for Pit. He was almost on the verge of tears already, and the conversation had only just begun.

"I- I…I don't think that Link would be capable of that. But apparently I'm just a fucking idiot for believing that, aren't I!?" Pit exclaimed, his voice uneven. Ike recoiled for a moment, then gently he ruffled the small boy's hair.

"My thinking exactly." He said with a smile. "Not about you being an idiot, I mean I agree with what you said about him not being capable of it." Ike immediately corrected, not wanting to be misheard. Pit looked up, his eyes already moist with tears.

"Wha-? But, but didn't you say, I thought that you were positive!" He exclaimed, overjoyed, but still wary.

"Well I gotta say, it does look bad but…honestly, this isn't like any case I've ever worked. It just doesn't make sense, you and Link, you seem so right for each other. And I've never met Link, but Soren at least I don't think could ever do something like this." Pit tried to keep his composure, but finally caved. Just as the waitress was arriving with their drinks the small boy burst into tears, immediately he tried to hide his face with his hands.

"Is he alright?" The waitress asked, dumbfounded. Ike stared at the boy who was still sobbing, then looked up at the waitress.

"Never better, I'm thinking." Ike said to the woman, grabbing his sprite and Pit's lemonade off of her tray.

---

Sitting on the bed, Link stared over at Pit's side of the mattress. The sheets and quilt significantly ruffled. Usually Pit would have remade his side before leaving, but more importantly Pit would have usually not left to begin with. On a day like today, when he had nothing to do, Pit usually liked to lie with Link. Usually on a day like today Link would have gotten to enjoy waking up to his lover resting up against him, but today Pit was nowhere to be found. _What could have been so important that Pit would leave this early? _Link asked himself, slightly disappointed. Standing up, he stretched and yawned. Then wearing nothing but a pair of pajama pants he made his way over to the door of the bedroom.

_Now that I think about it, why was he drunk last night? Pit never likes to drink, it bums him out too much. And he especially doesn't like to drink alone. So what then? Maybe he went out with a friend to drink while I was at Soren's? But then why didn't he call me to tell me? Is he mad at me? I was at Soren's later than usual, but he still would have called…_

Suddenly a scrap of paper on the bedside table caught his eye. Walking over to it he lifted the torn scrap of loose leaf up to his face.

_Link, I've gone out for a walk. I just need some fresh air is all. I'll see you later._

_Pit_

Link turned the piece of paper over to study the back, unsure of what he expected to find. _He didn't end it with 'I love you' or 'love Pit' or anything. _The blonde immediately wilted, feeling incredibly guilty. _Is he that mad at me? Boy did I screw up…_

It was just then that he noticed a small black plastic rectangle taped to the back of a picture frame on the bedside table.

---

"So you're just going to ask him? You're just going to ask Soren if Link is cheating on me!?" Pit asked, sipping his lemonade. "Isn't that against the rule's or something?"

"Rule's? Look Pit, its my case. That means that I can handle it however I want. Sure if I screw it up Roy and Marth don't have to pay me, but I'm thinking that I don't want their money anyways." The bluenette said, shoving a waffle fry into his mouth.

"Wait, Roy and Marth hired you!?!" Pit said, genuinely shocked. Ike almost choked on his fry. _Wow, I can't believe I let that slip!_

"Um, yeah, they did. But look, it doesn't matter anymore. This isn't a case for me anymore, I'm just going to ask Soren and see what he says."

"Did it occur to you that someone who would cheat with another man's boyfriend, knowing he was taken, might not be above lying to you?" Pit said, picking up the deli pickle that came with his sandwich, then setting it down. Ike stopped to think for a moment, then finally came up with an answer.

"I'm usually pretty good at reading people Pit. I think that if he's lying to me I'll know it." The man said. Now tearing into one of the chicken tenders.

"So you'll just ask him? Just like that? Why do you trust him?" Pit asked, taking a bite out of his own sandwich. Ike had to pause to swallow before he spoke again.

"I trust him for the same reason that you trust Link." He said, unable to keep the grin off of his face. Strangely revealing something like this, even to someone as clearly gay as Pit, was embarrassing to him.

"Wait you don't mean- Ike, are you gay?" Pit said, mouth still half full of a turkey club.

"As of this morning, yeah, I am." Ike said self consciously.

"Wow, I'm sorry, its not that…good for you!" Pit exclaimed, his eyes going wide and a broad smile on his face.

"Well thank you."

"You just really don't come off as gay is all. So let me get this straight, you _love_ Soren?" The brunette asked, barely able to contain himself.

"Yeah. I had to think about it, but yeah, I think I do!" Ike said picking up a fry and biting it in half. Pit immediately squealed and leaned over the table to get closer to the bluenette.

"So are you gonna tell him today!?" The boy asked, barely able to contain himself. Ike stopped to think about it. _Am I going to tell him today? Should I? What if he says no?_

"Yeah, I'll tell him when I get to the office." Ike said, swallowing the fry and then popping the second half of it into his mouth.

"Oh my god this is so romantic! You should get him a gift!!" The boy said, enjoying his new role as designated love coach.

"A gift? Really, you think?" Ike said, unsure, but willing to take any advice the brunette could give him.

"Yeah. Oh god he'd love that, I'm sure of it!" Pit replied.

"Well what should I get him? You know him better than me." Ike asked. Turning away from his food for a moment to pay attention to Pit. The boy took a small bite of his sandwich.

"Hmmmm… well, lets think. It has to be something small, not too expensive, and something we know Soren will use." Pit said, thinking out loud as he chewed.

"Something like…" Ike trailed off.

"Oh I've got it!!" Pit yelped, startling Ike.

"Think Ike, what does Soren tie his hair back with?"

"Oh, um…isn't it just like a rubber band or something?" Ike replied.

"Yes, exactly. I asked Soren about it once. He said he'd always meant to buy something proper, but that he'd never gotten around to it! That's what you should buy him!" Pit exclaimed.

"So I should buy-"

"Buy him a ribbon Ike!" The boy cooed, his blue eyes wide with excitement.

"A ribbon? Isn't that too girly?" Ike asked, worried about what might happen if Soren didn't like his gift.

"No trust me, he'll love it. I guarantee you'll win over Soren if you get him that ribbon!"

"How can you know all this Pit?" Ike asked, dumbfounded.

"Trust me Ike, we uke's understand one another."

"What does that even mean?" Ike asked. Just as he said the words both the bluenette and the brunette turned to watch a tan Mercedes that had to be going at least sixty miles an hour tear past the diner.

"Wow, someone's in a hurry!" Ike said, turning his attention back to his food.

"I could swear that I've seen that car somewhere before." Pit said suspiciously.

"Try not to get yourself too worked up, you know how you get." Ike said, biting into another chicken tender.

"Now explain this whole uke business to me, cuz I don't get it."

---

"Oh thank god we're here! Five more minutes in the car with him and I might have killed myself!" Marth cried, throwing open the passengers door and lifting Roy out of his seat.

"Alright guys, alright. Wait…alright. Was I in an accident?" The redhead said for, if Soren was keeping count correctly, the fourteenth time.

"Yes Roy, yes you were in an accident. But right now we're not worrying about that. Right now we're walking, can you do that, can you walk?" Marth asked, his arms at the ready in case Roy decided to fall over.

"Wait, why am I bleeding!?!"

"God damn it. Soren can you get his other arm for me?"

"Yeah, here I come Marth." Soren replied as he closed his door. Jogging over to the two Soren caught Roy just as he was about to slump out of Marth's arms.

"Gotcha Roy!" Soren said, grabbing the redhead under the arm and lifting him up.

"Hey, Soren, thanks man. You- you are a good friend, I love you man." Roy said in a hazy voice.

"Yeah, you're a good friend too Roy. We're all good friends. Now who wants to go to the hospital?" Soren asked. Suddenly Roy shoved both Marth and Soren aside. Wobbling slightly on his feet, the redhead managed to keep himself from falling somehow.

"Hey guys look I can walk now! I don't think we need the hospital after all!"

"Roy, buddy. I think that maybe you should let me and Soren help you walk. You're looking a little shaky there." Marth said cautiously approaching Roy who was stumbling in place, still bleeding from under his red bangs.

"No, no I can do it! I don't need help, I feel like one million dollars!!" The redhead screamed, running towards the hospital. About two feet from the automatic glass doors, Roy stumbled into an ashtray near the door. Losing his balance he careened headfirst into the automatic door which unfortunately did not open fast enough.

"Holy shit Roy!! Holy shit!!" Marth screamed, running over to his lover.

"Damn it Roy!" Soren yelled, following behind Marth.

"Hey guys, is it my birthday?" Roy asked, helplessly trying to claw his way to his feet.

"No, fuck this I'm carrying you." Marth scooped the redhead up and carried him like a bride at a wedding.

"Thanks Marth. You are a good guy. Even though you look blueberry." Roy said, snuggling against Marth, and rubbing the blood from his head wound all over the boys shirt. The bluenette didn't mind though, he just wanted to get Roy safely into the hospital.

---

"What is the patients name?" The African American nurse at the other end of the desk asked, glancing up from her clipboard.

"Tuesday-" Roy tried to blurt before Soren cut him off.

"Roy. His name is Roy Donovan."

"Age?"

"He just turned eighteen." Marth said, rubbing Roy's shoulder and trying to calm him down.

"Yeah its my fuckin' birthday today!" Roy yelled, grabbing the pen attached to a chain off the desk.

"We think that he may have a head injury." Soren said, hinting to the nurse that they would like very much to move Roy to a room other than the waiting room.

"Alright, we'll bring him to go get a CAT scan, can one of you fill out the paperwork?" The nurse asked.

"Yes, I'll stay and fill out the paperwork." Marth said, grabbing the clipboard.

"Alright, I'm gonna call the office and leave a message so Ike knows why I left." Soren said picking up his phone.

"Hey, who want's to see Roy's birthday dance!" The Redhead yelled, running off into the waiting room, trying to remove his shirt as he ran.

"Oh shit! I'll get him!" Soren yelled, setting his phone on the desk and running after the redhead.

As Soren helped the nurse escort Roy into the room to get a CAT scan Marth sat at the desk and quietly filled out the medical forms, trying to push Roy out of his mind. _He'd better be okay. I can't believe how stupid I was, how could I let this happen? Stupid Marth! Stupid, stupid Marth!_ Just when the bluenette was done chastising himself Soren's phone went off on the desk.

Marth glanced down to see who had called. Where the number would normally have displayed the name 'Link' had come up. Setting the clipboard down, Marth reached out to answer the phone.

---

"So about the stapler…" Marth trying to console the now Pouting Roy who was sitting in his cot. Sitting at the foot of the bed, Marth had decided it was best to pick a spot on the wall and focus on that instead of making eye contact with the furious redhead.

"Yes, please. Lets talk about the god damn stapler Marth!" Roy fumed, refusing to make eye contact with the bluenette. Marth felt horribly guilty, and Roy wasn't helping him feel any better.

"Look Roy, I'm sorry. I had to do something though. What if Soren had seen the file?" Roy looked up at Marth, his mouth gaping.

"So you throw a fucking stapler at my head!?!" He yelled, dumbfounded.

"No, I threw a stapler at Soren's head."

"Marth, there's something seriously wrong with you if you think that in _any _way makes it better." The bluenette looked up at the gauze wrapped around his loves forehead. The grand total had been nine stitches. In addition to that The CAT scan had confirmed their suspicions, Roy had most definitely been suffering from a concussion.

Marth immediately turned away, looking instead back to his spot on the wall. A hole where it appeared something had once been nailed to the wall, maybe a picture frame. Suddenly he felt a pair of petal soft lips gently press against the left side of his jaw. He looked over to see Roy smiling at him, his eyes now holding a kind expression.

"I forgive you Marth. Completely." Roy said, gazing at the bluenette. _I won't berate him, this one time. Because I know how he feels, its how I always feel. Every time I do something like this to him, and he always forgives me. Guess its my turn._

"Oh, and Roy, Link isn't cheating on Pit." Marth said, offhandedly.

"What!?! How?-"

"He called Soren's phone, he wanted to know if the private detective Soren was working for had bugged his apartment. Or something stupid like that."

"So then what?"

"Well after he exploded all that information into the phone, I told him I was Marth, Not Soren. We had a little chat, and I found out the whole thing was a misunderstanding."

"But Pit is still cheating on Link with Ike." Roy said, trying to process all of what he'd just heard.

"Exactly, and I have an ingenious plan. We're going to prove it to Link, prove that Pit is cheating on him." Marth said, determination in his eyes. _We're not coming out of this one empty handed. Somebody has to be cheating on somebody, I know it!_

"How are we gonna do that Marth?" Roy asked. The bluenette had completely lost him.

"We're gonna get that bug from Link. And then, we'll tap the detectives phone with it!" Roy immediately loved Marth's plan.

"Awww Yeah!!" Roy yelled, high fiving Marth. As soon as the high five broke off the bluenette gently leaned over and pressed himself against the redhead. Feeing the outline of Roy's chest through his hospital gown, Marth gently explored all of the boy's upper body.

"Marth, you really shouldn't , the nurse said I shouldn't overexert-" He was cut off by the feeling of the bluenette's lips pressed against his slightly open mouth. Almost unconsciously he slid his tongue into his lovers mouth, massaging the tip of Marth's tongue with his own. Just as the kiss was beginning to intensify the bluenette broke it off, getting up off of the cot, he proceeded over to the door of the room. Scanning down each side of the hallway, he closed the door quietly, and next proceeded to draw the blinds on the windows.

"Now that we have some privacy. Take off your robe." Marth demanded.

"Marth, I'm feeling sort of tired, I'm not sure sex is such a good idea." The redhead replied, not wishing to disappoint his lover. Usually he was the one begging, but his head hurt and he felt tired.

"We're not having sex, trust me, I need to make this up to you somehow. Now robe off, that's an order." The bluenette said, feigning seriousness. As he folded his arms across his chest he watched the redhead disrobe in front of him. He watched as the gown fell away from Roy, exposing his petite, but toned frame. The robes had bunched around his waist atop the blanket the youth was under, the blankets just barely covering the boy up. Casually Marth made his way across the room his eyes remaining sharp and his composure never broken. In one harsh movement he whipped the covers off of Roy and grabbed the gown off of him. Already the redhead was excited, he loved when Marth got like this. The bluenette straddled the boy and kissed him gingerly on the forehead where he had injured his lover. He then moved downward planting a deep, but brief kiss on Roy's lips.

He then trailed even further down, kissing Roy in the middle of his chest, his soft, cream colored skin felt amazing to the bluenette's lips. Moving his head to the left Marth playfully kissed and licked the boy's right nipple. Roy mewled with pleasure and instinctively arched his back and placed his hands on his lover's shoulders for support.

"Still need your rest?" Marth asked jokingly.

"I think I might be getting my second wind." Roy panted. Immediately Marth gently cupped his hand around the redhead's scrotum. Massaging it slightly the boy jumped at the contact.

"Now cough." Marth chuckled, he couldn't help himself.

"Very Fun- Ahhh!" Roy almost yelled in delight. Marth cut the boy off by playfully licking the tip of the redhead's penis. Immediately Roy began to quiver with anticipation. Slowly Marth licked up and down his shaft, taking his time. He was driving the redhead crazy, and he slowly began to shift and squirm where he sat.

The bluenette decided not to torture the redhead anymore and, after glancing up into his lover's eyes, took his entire length into his mouth. Roy winced and clamped his eyes shut. The bluenette could feel shivers running through the youth's body, he slowly began to bob his head up and down on the youth's penis. Roy had now begun to moan loudly, he could feel the pleasure mounting and was slowly losing control of himself. His eyes still shut tight, he watched blinding afterimages dance on his eyelids. He was lost in a world of nothing but feeling.

Still bobbing his head up and down Marth now began to stroke Roy's remaining length with his hand. The redhead responded by running his fingers through the bluenette's hair, gently tugging at it. Marth could tell that the boy was close to climaxing.

"Marth, I don't think I can hold out any longer." Roy gasped. No sooner had he said it then he felt himself go over. The redhead gasped loudly as he released. Waves of pleasure rippled though him and he tightened his grip on Marth's hair.

He could feel every part of his body tensing as he lost control of himself. Marth pulled his face away just as his lover climaxed, the majority of Roy's seed landing in his mouth. Some however landed on his face. Breathing heavily, Roy looked down at the bluenette.

"Sorry Marth." He said sheepishly, blushing. His lover had his seed all over his face. Swallowing, Marth got up off of the bed.

"You've nothing to apologize for. Was it good?" It was a rhetorical question, Marth knew.

"Yeah. Thank you." The redhead sighed, rummaging around the bed for his hospital gown. As Marth searched for a box of tissues both heard the sound of the doorknob turning.

"Don't come in!!" Marth yelled, his face bright red.

"We're having a very serious discussion!!!" Roy screamed, frantically trying to find his robes. Both watched as the knob on the door slowly spun itself back into its neutral position.

No Love For Soren, End


	6. Chapter 6

No Love

6- No Love Left

---

_This chapter doesn't have any characters names in its title. _

_What? Were you expecting an inner monologue anyways? _

_---_

"Son of a bitch!!" Link yelled, slamming his right hand against the wall of the apartment, his teeth already clenching. When that guy who'd answered Soren's phone had said they needed to borrow the bug Link found, he couldn't have possibly imagined it would be for this.

"I'm sorry Link, we wish it wasn't true but…" Roy trailed off, trying to console the distraught blonde. He then watched Link remove his hand from the drywall, a decently sized hole where he had made contact. _Yikes, this guy really is a tank! _Both the bluenette and his lover recoiled immediately.

"No, it's not your fault's, if anything I should really thank you guys." The blonde looked at the two cringing boys, then to the hole in the wall.

"Look don't worry, I'm not about to use the two of you as punching bags. What did you say your name's were?" Though Roy and Marth were quite familiar with Link and Pit, there had never been a formal introduction. In truth, before today, Link hadn't even known that Roy and Marth existed.

"I'm Marth." The bluenette said, patting the blonde on the shoulder.

"Roy!" The redhead said, pointing to himself and cracking a stupid grin. The blonde stared at both of them, dictating their names to memory.

"Alright then, so how exactly do you know all of this?" The Link asked, crossing his arms and staring at the two skeptically. Roy then briefly recapped all of what he had heard and seen happen on Thursday night between both Ike and Pit. Marth nodded his head solemnly as the redhead went into the details. Link was absolutely stunned.

"Wait, did you actually hear, or see them…_y'know._" Link asked, bracing for the answer.

"No, nothing like that. But I'm pretty sure that it happened." Marth immediately elbowed his lover in the ribs.

"We're not sure of anything yet, so don't get too worked up. We're going to use that bug you found to tap Ike's phone tonight. That's why we need it. If something is going on with Ike and Pit, they'll probably talk on the phone sometime in the next few days. If we hear any conversations like that, we have all of the proof that we need." Link's composure broke slowly as the bluenette explained the plan to him. Going from unsure, to angered, to distraught.

"Alright, fine then." The blonde turned and made his way into the bedroom. Seconds later he burst out, walking quickly and holding a black rectangle covered in scotch tape. He roughly placed it into Marth's hand and then pointed to the door.

"Listen, I'm grateful. Really, I am. But please just leave. I need to think." The blonde said, looking away from both of his guests.

"Well I have your number, I can give you a call. If we learn anything, that is." The bluenette said, unsure if he would get a response back.

" 304-658-2239. Do you think you can remember that? It's my number, you can call it if _you_ need to talk to _us." _Roy said in an uppity fashion. Clearly he didn't like being told to leave, but his heart went out to Link.

"304-658-2239?" The blonde repeated.

"Yeah."

"Thanks. Now please go." Link said, still pointing to the door. Unceremoniously, both boys walked out, Marth gently closing the door behind them. As soon as Link was sure that they had left, he walked over to the couch. Curling up in a ball on the comfortable sofa, he stared at the wall absently. Thoughts were bouncing around inside of his head so fast he could barely process one before another grasped his attention.

_Why would he do this?… Would he do this? _

_304-658-2239, don't forget it. _

_Pit, my Pit. Don't you love me? He was drunk! He was drunk last night! _

_Don't forget to call 304-658-2239. _

_That bastard, that fucking bastard, he must have taken advantage of Pit! I'm sure of it, Pit would never do something like this otherwise! _

_Pit doesn't love you anymore._

_He must have taken Pit out and told him I was cheating on him. Then he took advantage of him by getting him drunk! That fucking BASTARD!!!_

_Roy's number is 304-658-2239. Roy is the one with the red hair._

_I'll kill him, oh I'll kill him. You're dead Ike! You hear me? Dead._

Link felt one sole hot tear fall from the corner of his left eye. Running down the side of his face it finally found its way into the pillow the blondes face was pressed against.

---

"Jeez, that sure was rude, don't you think?" Roy asked Marth, unconsciously touching the stitches on his forehead. They'd left the hospital hours ago, Soren had stayed behind saying that Ike was going to be picking him up. Against the doctors orders the redhead had kept the gauze around his sutures on for all of ten minutes after they'd left.

"No Roy, it wasn't rude. Link must be going through a lot right now, he's obviously shaken up. Didn't the doctor tell you to keep the bandages on?"

"He didn't seem shaken up, he seemed like an asshole!" Roy called up the stairs, ignoring the question. As he was taking the stairs three at a time, he got to the bottom much faster than his lover.

"I thought the doctor told you to take it easy too?" Marth asked.

"He did, but I feel fine. I am hungry though. And you know what's weird? Because of the Novocain I can't feel myself blinking. How weird is that?" The bluenette rolled his eyes as he reached the bottom of the steps. _Well at least he's back to his old self._

"I mean I'm blinking, I can see myself blink, I just can't feel it is all." Roy said, closing his right eye and rapidly blinking the left one.

"Did it ever occur to you that if you're not careful you'll tear out your stitches?" Marth chided, playfully shoving his lover in the direction of the car.

"By blinking? Being awful cautious aren't you?" Roy asked, spinning around and sticking his tongue out at Marth.

"No, I just don't want you to get hurt _again _is all." As he reached the car, the bluenette unlocked his door and hit the master lock. As soon as the redhead saw his door unlock he threw it open and dove inside. _If his doctor could see him right now he'd have a conniption._

"That's not it, you're definitely being more paranoid lately. Like this whole airbag business, what's the deal with that? Every time we get in the car you act like the airbag is a ticking time bomb!" Roy exclaimed, slamming the car door behind him. Marth paused for a moment, carefully wording his reply.

"I saw something about how the number of accidental airbag discharges in the United States has risen significantly in the past few years." Marth said coolly, starting the car.

"And where did you hear this?" Roy asked, humoring the bluenette. There was an even longer pause from Marth.

"The Discovery Channel." He said, already knowing what was coming. Right on cue the redhead burst out laughing, clenching his gut and barely able to contain himself.

"The discovery channel? Are you fucking kidding?!" Roy laughed. "Oh my god you'll believe anything, y'know that!"

"You're bleeding. I told you not to overexert yourself." The redhead reached up and ran his fingers across his stitches. Bringing them back in front of his eyes, he saw lines of red running across the finger.

"Oh, shit! Tissues, tissues!" He opened the dash and began to scramble for napkins or something to wipe up the blood.

"I guess maybe you should listen to people more often Roy." The bluenette said, calmly turning the keys in the ignition.

---

Standing outside of the building Ike's office was in, both Ike and Pit stared in shock at the trail of blood on the sidewalk leading inside. After staring down for what felt like minutes, both turned to each other in unison.

"What do you think?" Pit said, staring at Ike, clearly already worried. The bluenette pushed open the glass door. Staring down the hallway at the stairs closest to the door, he followed the trail of blood. The smears went down the hall and the all the way up the stairs. He turned to the bluenette solemnly.

"I don't know Pit, stick close to me though." Holding the glass door open for the boy, both made their way into the building, carefully avoiding stepping in the blood.

Walking slowly, eyes fixed on the ground, they followed the blood trail all the way up the flight of stairs. The red stains then led them to exactly where Ike had hoped they wouldn't. The bluenette stared ominously at the door to his office, where the blood trails ended. Motioning Pit to stay close behind him, the bluenette slowly approached the door, unsure of what to expect.

"Um, Ike, what exactly are we worried about right now." The chocolate haired boy asked, his voice shaky.

"I'm not sure, just stay behind me." Ike turned the handle on the office door.

The knob rotated quietly and the bluenette pulled the door out into the hallway. Reaching for the coat rack next to the doorframe inside his office, he felt around for a gray wool overcoat. Finally his fingers grasped it, reaching his hand into the jackets left front pocket he felt his hand close around cold metal and wood. Pulling his hand out of the jacket pocket and back into his and Pit's line of sight, the bluenette brandished a small black pistol. Pit flinched nervously and was barely able to keep his voice at a whisper.

"What the fuck is that!?" The boy hissed from between his lips.

"This is a Makarov Pit, I don't know what's in there, so I'm being cautious." The bluenette said, his pulse soaring.

"Cool, alright then." The brunette replied, oddly enthusiastic.

In a series of exaggerated movements Ike burst into his office and proceeded to clear every room, ending with the source of the blood trail- the bathroom. As he stood at the edge of the bathroom door, he stared down at the trail of blood leading into the small room. _What if Soren's in there? What if he's hurt!?! _

The bluenette flung the door of the room open, the gun at the ready. Nothing. The room was empty, save for a small puddle of blood and a few bloody footprints. Just as Ike was about to turn to leave the bathroom his cell phone went off. The high pitched ring tone scared him so badly that his whole right hand instinctually clenched. He felt his index finger squeeze the trigger of the gun which, unfortunately was pointed in Pit's direction.

---

"Ike? Hello? Ike?" Soren said into the phone, unable to tell what bluenette was babbling, his mouth clearly not up to the phone.

"I almost killed Pit because of you, you idiot!!" Ike yelled into the receiver. Soren was confused and taken aback by the outburst.

"_You almost what!?_" Soren heard a voice in the background exclaim.

"Listen Pit don't worry, I couldn't have shot you, the safety was on." Ike reassured the voice in the background.

"_You knew the safety was on when you pulled the trigger, right?_" Pit asked Ike, fear in his voice. There was a very long silence from the bluenette.

"_You mean you could have shot me!?!_" Soren heard the voice in the background scream.

"Um, Ike, is this a bad time? I could always-" Soren asked, not sure if he should feel offended or not.

"No, no, not a bad time at all, I was actually just coming to the office to talk to you about something." Soren's felt his pulse quicken. _Talk to me, he wanted to talk to me about something? What could it be? Does he love me? That's it! He loves me and wants us to go out!! _The raven haired boy stopped dreaming, and forced his himself back into reality. _Don't get your hopes up._

"What did you want to talk about." Soren asked hopefully.

"Later Soren. Right now I need to know what happened at the office. Who's blood is this?" Ike asked, gingerly setting the gun down on his desk, lest he have another 'accident'.

"Blood? Oh, shoot that's right! I'm sorry I didn't clean it up Ike, but it's Roy's." Soren said into the phone apologetically.

"Roy's!? What the hell was Roy doing at the office?" Ike said, trying his hardest to sound surprised. _How could those idiots forget Soren works for me? Why couldn't they just be patient!?_

"He and Marth showed up looking for you. Apparently you really made an impression on them, or something." Soren replied.

"Huh, oh, okay. Wait, Why was Roy bleeding all over the office? Is he even still alive? This is a shit load of blood." Ike said into the phone, glancing to a large red stain on the wall near his desk.

"Oh, well yeah, he's still alive. He had a concussion actually, and we had to take him to the hospital to get stitches." Soren said, longingly gazing at a vending machine on the opposite end of the waiting room. He hadn't eaten all day and was starting to feel hunger pains.

"What!?! When? How? What the hell happened!?" Ike asked, shocked so much had happened in the short time he'd been gone.

"Well, apparently Marth thought that he saw a bee. So he threw a stapler at it. He missed the bee though, and decked Roy in the face."

"A bee!? Overreacted a little, don't you think?" Ike asked, trying to hold back a chuckle.

"Yeah, well apparently he's allergic. " Soren said, sighing and rubbing his stomach.

"You'd think all the bee's would be in hibernation by now. It's the middle of fall." Ike said, knowing it had obviously been a lie.

"Well, who knows."

"So you called because…" Ike asked, waiting for Soren to finish his sentence.

"Oh, right, just to tell you why I left the office. But also I need a ride. Marth drove to the hospital but left in a hurry with Roy. So I'm stuck here." Ike's heart leapt in his chest. _I can tell him now! When I go to get him, I can tell him. Can I tell him? I don't know, what if he says no? He could say no…_

"Yeah, I'll come pick you up. Which hospital are you at?"

"Um, Memorial I think. Yeah, memorial, on Route 7." Soren said, making up his mind to buy something out of the vending machine.

"Oh, that's not far at all! I can be there in about twenty minutes." Ike said into the phone, suddenly excited.

"You sound happy about something? What's going on?" Soren asked, glad to hear Ike in high spirits. The bluentette's face went deep red, turning to Pit, he saw the small brunette mouthing '_say I love you'_. He held onto the phone for what felt like ages before finally hanging up.

"What's the matter with you!? Why didn't you tell him?" Pit yelled, anger and disappointment in his voice.

"In person." The bluenette said, staring down at the gift wrapped box in his hands. Beneath the green cardboard and yellow ribbon, was a red silk ribbon he had picked out himself. Tucked under the yellow ribbon was a card which read 'To Soren'.

"I'd like to tell him in person."

"Well I'm coming with you, for support!" The brunette said defiantly, his hands on his hips.

"Thanks Pit, you're a good friend." Ike said solemnly.

"Naturally." The boy beamed.

---

Munching on the last of the three packages of Pop tarts he had bought out of the vending machine, Soren watched Ike and Pit walk through the door of the hospital. Swallowing, he placed the wrapper that still had half a pastry in it on the seat next to him.

"Ike!" Soren called, flagging the bluenette and his companion down. Immediately Ike waved back and jogged over to where the raven haired boy was sitting.

"Hey Soren, how are you?" Ike asked awkwardly.

"Not much better than when you left." Soren responded in an equally awkward fashion. The two stood staring at each other as a feeling of mutual discomfort grew between them.

"Hey, guys, are we just gonna stand here…in the waiting room…of a hospital?" Pit asked, tapping his feet on the ground with impatience. _We need to get them in the car, Ike's never gonna tell Soren at this rate. _The two continued to stare at each other, neither looking away but both wanting to. Pit sighed in exasperation and face palmed.

"Alright, break it up! Both of you, in the car!" He exclaimed, grabbing the 'couple' by the hands and pulling them towards the door.

---

Grabbing the phone and answering before it even got to ring a second time, Roy was already excited.

"Why hello there Link!" The boy said in a heavy and melodramatic tone.

"Roy I'm in no mood." The blonde said, his patience already worn thin.

"Somebody sounds pissed." The redhead said into the phone.

"Roy, I swear-"

"Relax Link, relax. You needed to talk about something?" The blonde paused for a second, choosing his words.

"Yeah but…do you think I could talk with _just_ you?" Roy was confused, they had only just met Link today. What could there possibly be that Link felt comfortable talking with him about, but didn't want to tell Marth?

"Why just me? Marth's cool, I know he seems like a prick at first, but he's really a sweet guy." Roy said into the phone, shooting a glance at Marth. Luckily the bluenette hadn't heard a word.

Sitting on the green sofa the two had rescued from a dumpster on campus, the boy was enraptured by the video game he was playing on the two's Gamecube. Resident evil, his personal favorite. Just as the redhead had confirmed that Marth hadn't heard the comment his lovers phone went off. The phone started to sing a high pitched version of Winter by Vivaldi, Marth's favorite song. Pausing the game and pulling his iPhone out of his pocket, the bluenette cursed.

"Its that stupid fucking detective!" The bluenette growled, sitting up and pausing the game.

"I'll take this one in the hall." Turing the boy opened the olive green door of their dorm room and walked out into the hall. Roy just barely heard the words "Marth here" before the door slammed behind his lover.

"Alright, sorry I spaced out there for a sec, so why not Marth?" The redhead asked, realizing his question had been answered while he'd been watching the bluenette.

"Well, he seems nice enough but a bit too…rational." The blonde restated. Roy immediately new what Link was getting at.

"Oh, and you're planning on doing something stupid? Is that it?" There was a pause on the other end of the line.

"Depends on what you consider stupid." The blonde finally replied.

"Oh man, I like you! Lets meet somewhere though, Marth probably shouldn't hear this. It's for his own good."

---

"So you _aren't_ having sex with Link?" The bluenette asked again, making sure he had heard right the first time.

"Yes, what I'm saying is that me and Link haven't done anything…ever. Where did you get that idea? Wait, and how do you even know Link!?" Soren asked, still caught off guard by the question.

Both Ike and Pit exchanged glances, a grin on both of their faces. Pit's eyes were already moist and he was on the verge of crying yet again. The copper haired boy was overjoyed, he couldn't wait to get home to Link. _I knew it, I knew he could never do that. Not Link, not my Link!_ The boy thought, overjoyed.

_I knew it, Soren's not that kind of guy! I knew all along he was innocent…okay, except for that one time, but other than that. _Ike thought to himself, ecstatic.

"I don't know Link." Ike answered.

"I know Link! He's my boyfr-"

"Yes, we already know that Pit! Ike if you don't know Link then how-" Soren tried to say, cutting off the brunette.

"It's a long story Soren, but the punch line is that-"

"You see we thought that Link was cheating on me!" Pit blurted.

"Don't jump ahead Pit, just let me tell the story." Ike reprimanded.

"_Don't jump ahead_? You were about to tell the punch line, how can you jump farther ahead then-"

"It's a figure of speech Pit, I didn't literally mean-"

"Oh my god what are you two talking about!" Soren yelled over the duo. Immediately both shut there mouths and turned to the raven haired boy.

"I'm calling Marth! He needs to know this. Man I'm so excited! I'll explain in a second Soren." Ike said, reaching into his pocket and grabbing his phone.

"Wait Ike, you can't just leave me hanging like that!" Soren exclaimed, still completely at a loss.

"Shhh! Its ringing." Ike said, holding his finger to his mouth and shushing the raven haired boy. Soren folded his arms across his chest and pouted in the passengers seat.

---

"It's that stupid fucking detective!" Marth growled, really not in the mood. _I just really, really hate that asshole. _Pausing his game, Marth decided it would be best to take the call in the hallway.

"I'll take this one in the hall." The bluenette said, wanting to be considerate to his lover, who also was on the phone. _This had better be god damn good Ike! I hate pausing a horror game, it kills the mood._

No Love Left, End


	7. Chapter 7

No Love

7- No Love For Marth

---

_I did something bad. Real, real bad, and it hurt someone I loved. Is this what it feels like, when you hurt the people you love? Suddenly I feel everyone saying with their eyes "what's wrong with you?" And I can feel Roy hate me with his eyes, I can feel him blame me. Like he could say I'm forgiven a million times, and It won't matter. Because I'm not perfect anymore, and no one will like me if I can't be perfect for them. I have to be 'pretty Marth', I have to be 'smart Marth', I have to be 'polite' Marth. If I'm not, how can I expect anybody to like me?_

_But then Roy says "I forgive you," and he doesn't have to say it a million times. Just like that, I feel better, like I don't care. Because I know he doesn't care. I can't help but to wonder, what if nobodies saying anything with their eyes? Maybe I'm just seeing things that aren't there. But how can I know? How can I know that nobody cares, that I can just be myself? I'll ask Roy one of these days. He is so much smarter than me at this stuff._

---

"Ike are you serious!?! You _live _in your office!?" Soren asked the bluenette, aghast at the mere thought of living in an office so small.

"Well…yeah. That's what the sleeping bag's for Soren." Ike replied calmly. They had barely gotten situated back at the office before his raven haired assistant had asked about the sleeping bag under the desk.

"Wait, then how have you been showering? My god! Don't tell me you haven't been cleaning yourself!?!" Soren immediately recoiled, being something of a clean freak. Ike scratched the back of his head and laughed off the comment.

"What are you, crazy? Of course I clean myself, I just use the sink is all." Ike replied chuckling. His assistant clearly didn't find this funny, not in the slightest.

"How can you possibly clean yourself in a sink Ike!? That's wrong in so many ways!"

"Aw, c'mon, its not _that _bad. I just y'know wash my hair in the sink, wash my face in the sink too. Then I splash myself with water, to get my whole body wet. After that I use the bar of soap I have in there, the ground is tiled so you don't have to worry about-"

"How can you live like this!?!" Soren exclaimed, pulling at his hair in frustration. The mere motion reminding Ike of the gift he had made sure to stash in the dashboard compartment before Soren had gotten into the car. He wanted so badly to give the boy the ribbon, but couldn't bring himself to do it.

"You get used to it, pretty fast actually. You'd be surprised." Ike replied, not sure if his assistant was genuinely mad at him or not. _Don't tell me I've gone and blown it, right when I was finally going to ask him._

"I would kill myself before getting used to this. How long have you been living here?" The black haired boy asked, exasperation in his tone.

"Hmm… um, well I got kicked out of my apartment about a month ago. So then…yeah a month." Soren's jaw dropped.

"Oh no! No, no, no! I won't have it, absolutely not. You're spending the night at my house. There is no way you're spending another night in this dump!" Ike's assistant dictated, hands firmly on his hips.

Ike was taken aback by how forward Soren was being. _He just…invited me to his house. Soren's house. He invited me, Ike, to his house. It can't be happening this easy, there's got to be a catch._

Immediately Soren ran what he'd just said out loud through his head. _Oh my god, I just invited him to my house! That's weird, isn't it? He's gonna think I'm gay or something. Well…I am gay, but I don't, he's not supposed to think that until I tell him. God Damn it what have I done!?!_

"I'm spending the night at your house?" Ike didn't want to impose, but on the other hand this was exactly the chance he'd been waiting for. He sat silently for a moment, thinking. Soren couldn't help but worry, trying to anticipate what I would say.

"I guess that I'll have to pack my stuff up then." Ike said, spinning in his swivel chair and grinning at Soren. The black haired boy immediately lit up. _Yes, alright, he doesn't hate me. Good, this is good, this perfect actually. _

"Don't start packing just yet, I'm still on the clock, and we need to clean up all of this blood." Soren said, rolling up the sleeves of his white dress shirt and eyeing the red stain on the wall next to the desk. Ike groaned at the idea.

"C'mon can't we just leave it Soren?" Ike pleaded in a childish voice.

"Leave it!? It's blood Ike, of course we can't just leave it! Now quit moping and roll up your sleeves, we have a lot of work to do." Soren ordered. Grumbling, Ike went into the bathroom to get the bleach out from under the sink.

"What's a gun doing on the desk!?" Soren exclaimed. _Oh, right, the gun. How could I forget to put the gun away?_

"I took it out when…well see me and Pit thought that I'd had a break in so I just- I'll put it away before we go. Right now lets just focus on getting rid of the blood."

"Yeah, lets focus on the blood. You might have to repaint this wall Ike, I think its stained.

"Damn it Roy, you stupid idiot. Why do you always have to make my life hell." Ike moaned.

---

"So you want to beat Ike up then, is that it?" Roy asked, biting into his bacon cheeseburger. That detective was absolutely right Lenny's Eats was amazing. In Roy's opinion this was the greatest burger he'd ever had in his life. Link looked at the redhead, who was busy chewing a massive piece of food. _Why do I get the feeling I shouldn't be asking him for advice?_

"Yeah, I wanna bash that perverts head in! Why, you have a problem with that?" Link asked, glaring at Roy. Forcing the lump of food he'd been chewing down his throat, the redhead replied.

"Link, you and me are more alike then I'd like to admit. Not only do I _not_ have a problem with that, I want to help you out." Roy assured the blonde, washing his food down with a sip of Coca Cola.

"You want to help me? And how do you plan on doing that?" Link questioned skeptically.

"Well, you're gonna need a disguise first of all. That's where I come in."

"Disguise…is that why you're wearing the coat and that stupid hat?" Link asked, commenting on the boy's attire. The redhead was wearing a black pea coat and a pinstriped fedora that looked absolutely ridiculous on him.

"Okay, well now, let me explain. No need to make fun of my awesome fedora, alright?"

"You look like a complete idiot Roy." Link shot back.

"See now you're name calling, all I'm trying to do is be a kind and generous human being. Do you want to beat the shit out of him or not?" Roy responded defensively.

"Okay fine. I'm sorry, you can help. But what are the hat and coat for, why do I need a disguise?" Link asked.

"So that Ike won't know who you are."

"He already doesn't know who I am, Roy!" Link exclaimed, starting to feel that this was a massive waste of time.

"Negative, he's seen your face. Me and Marth gave him a photograph of you. You need the disguise so that he won't recognize you. Or at least so he won't recognize you until you start punching." Roy explained as he raised the burger to his mouth for another bite.

"Oh, I get it! So I just go to his office, wait for him to come outside, then I really let him have it!" Link said enthusiastically, punching his palm with his other fist.

"Bwingo!" Roy yelled, a gigantic chunk of bacon cheeseburger still in his mouth.

---

Pit couldn't believe that a man who seemed as unimaginably confident and suave as Ike was being this much of a pansy. As he walked down the sidewalk towards his apartment he wondered to himself if Ike had any hope at all.

_I mean he's got sex appeal, he's got a whole fuck ton of sex appeal. How can he not have the self esteem to ask a person out on a date? Especially a person as obviously interested as Soren? It absolutely baffles me! And on that note, it's also baffles me why he would dropped me off three whole blocks away from my apartment. Probably just so I wouldn't spill the beans to Soren for him. Rat bastard…_

Just as the brunette was turning the corner to his apartment, he saw something that made him stop dead in his tracks. Standing outside of his apartment was the same figure he'd seen the night before. The one who'd been following him and Ike to the bar, the one sitting at the table right behind them the whole night. The same man he'd caught glimpses of as Ike carried him back to Link's apartment.

_Black overcoat, pinstriped fedora…it's him, the guy who followed me and Ike to the bar that night! Oh my god, what's he doing at my apartment building!?! Is he stalking me? That's it, that must be it! Oh god this is just like dateline!!!_

On the verge of hyperventilating the copper haired boy decided to walk another lap around the block and wait for the stranger to leave.

---

Standing and waiting for the blonde outside of the apartment Roy had been completely unaware of Pit's prescience. Busy fidgeting with the brim of his favorite hat, Roy was completely off in his own little world.

"Alright I'm ready, lets go." Link said bitterly, walking down the steps from the second floor.

"Have you been crying dude? Your eye's are like _really_ red." Roy asked, feeling sorry for Link.

"Don't be stupid! I sort of lost my temper and threw some stuff. I threw a bag of cinnamon at the wall and it got in my eyes." Link lied. There hadn't been any cinnamon, but the part about throwing things wasn't completely untrue.

"Well whatever. Lets go get a bite to eat and discuss our 'business.' I know a great place." Roy said, not believing the blondes excuse, but not wanting to call him out on it.

---

"So here we are… at your place." Ike said awkwardly as he walked into Soren's foyer.

"Make yourself at home Ike. Oh and just drop your bag on the floor by the couch. What do you want for dinner? I just went shopping so I could make pretty much anything!" Soren bubbled, prancing into the kitchen to look through the fridge.

"Um, anything's fine with me, it's your house after all." Ike said politely, dropping his duffle bag on the floor next to the couch.

"Nonsense, there must be something you want for dinner! Don't be shy! C'mon, tell me." Soren continued, embarrassed at how flirty he was acting. He wasn't sure why, but he couldn't control himself all of a sudden.

"Um, do you have chicken?" Ike asked, not sure what to make of his assistants sudden change in attitude. The bluenette didn't mind however, he loved it. Soren was the happiest he had seen him since the red eyed boy's first day.

"Sorry fresh out. Joking, I'm joking. Did you want it done any particular way?"

"I dunno? You decide. So I can't help but ask but how did you afford this house? Aren't you a college student?" Ike saw his black haired assistant's face immediately wilt, a sad smile crossing his lips, but only for a moment. The boy perked up almost instantly.

"My parents left me at an orphanage when I was really young, so I never met them. I spent all of my life at that orphanage, until my fifteenth birthday. On my birthday an old woman called Elaine finalized my adoption. She was _very_ old though. She passed last winter."

"I'm so sorry Soren, I didn't know." Ike said, feeing like an idiot and worried he'd hurt the raven head's feeling.

"Don't be sorry, the past is the past. So just chicken or…"

"Yeah just chicken." The bluenette replied, thankful Soren wasn't offended.

"Well that's not very specific at all. Some help you are!" The cook complained playfully.

---

_Who is this guy, why is he following me? Was he in my apartment!?! _

Pit's thoughts were racing as he stared at the apartment which looked like a tornado had gotten loose inside. Things had been thrown all over the place and there was a gaping hole in the living room wall. However, for some reason, the intruder had tried to fix the hole with a strip of duct tape and some newspaper.

_What is this? Did that guy ransack my apartment or something? What could he be looking for? Oh my god! He must be working for the mafia…or the FBI! Link must have lost a bet with some bad people and they're coming after him! I need to find him as soon as possible! I'll go to Ike's office! He'll know what to do!_

---

"Wow, that was amazing Soren!" Ike said politely as he finished swallowing the last bite of his meal. The raven haired boy was still in the middle of eating the seconds he had dished out for himself. Ike watched astonished not only at the sheer amount of food the boy had eaten, but how quickly he'd done it. In the time it had taken Ike to barely polish off his own generous serving, Soren had all but finished two.

"Are you sure that you don't want any more? I made plenty?" The host asked, not wanting to be rude.

"No thanks, I'm stuffed. That was an enormous plate you gave me. How's a skinny little thing like you put it away like that?" Soren blushed at the comment, laying down his fork and forcing a lump of food down his throat.

"Skinny? Admiring my body were you?" The red eyed boy joked. Now it was Ike's turn to blush.

"I wouldn't say admiring, its just…you're in great shape, I guess. I mean considering all you eat…and all." Wincing Ike prayed that his response didn't sound as awkward as he thought it did.

"Alright, next up is dessert!" Soren exclaimed as though he hadn't heard what Ike had said. The bluenette breathed a sigh of relief.

"Soren, I'm way too full, I don't think I can do it." Ike groaned, patting his stomach.

"Nonsense, there's always room for Ice cream." The man perked up somewhat at the mention of ice cream.

"But no dessert for you until you take a shower." Soren scolded. Grabbing Ike by the hand he half pulled and half guided the larger man to the bathroom.

"Wait Soren, are you sure you're okay with me-"

"There's shampoo and conditioner already in there. I have some Axe body wash, but if you'd prefer just a bar of soap I have that in there too. Oh, and make sure to wash behind your ears." With that the boy stuck his tongue out teasingly and trotted out of the bathroom, closing the door behind himself.

Puzzled, Ike disrobed himself and turned the faucet inside the shower. Steaming hot water shot out of the showerhead. Playing it safe the bluentette ran his hand through the streams of water. Calibrating the temperature until the water was just right, the detective eventually climbed into the shower and slid the glass door closed behind himself.

---

"Roy could you call Ike and tell him to come meet you at his office?" Link said into the black plastic receiver of the pay phone he was using.

"Why would I do that?" Roy asked the blonde. Shivering as he stood in the parking lot behind Ike's office. Leaning against the back bumper of Marth's tan Mercedes he watched as the bluenette fidgeted with the lock on the back door.

"Because I don't own a cell phone Roy."

"No I mean why would I tell Ike that I'm at his office?"

"Well I don't think that he's home so I need you to lure him here. Then I can beat the shit out of him." Link replied.

"Link, look, me and Marth already know that Ike isn't home. We're going to plant the bug in his phone line tonight. You can't beat him up until we have our proof. So, I can't believe I'm saying this but- you need to be patient. Just try to keep yourself under control and don't do anything stupid! And whatever you do stay away from Ike's office!" Roy strictly ordered the blonde.

"Yeah, whatever Roy. I'll talk to you later." Hanging up the phone, Link shoved his hands into the pockets of the black pea coat Roy had given him. Sitting on the steps of the building Ike's office was in, he couldn't help but play around with brim of the pinstriped fedora.

_Maybe if I just wait a little while he'll show up. Besides I don't really feel like going home yet. Pit… I hope you're okay. Don't worry, I'll take care of this. I love you._

"What a dumb fucking hat." the blond thought aloud, resting it on the stairs next to him.

---

"Ike I almost forgot! You need a towel!" Soren said, opening the door of the bathroom. Fanning the steam building up in the room out of his face, he walked over to the foggy glass wall of the standing shower.

"I brought you one, do you need it now?" The black haired boy asked.

"Not yet, I'm almost done though. Could you just set it down somewhere?"

"Sure, I'll hang it on the towel rack. It's the green one." Turing to leave the raven head spotted a green box wrapped in yellow string atop the pile of Ike's clothes sitting on the toilet. Curious he glanced at the shower to make sure he wasn't being watched. Soren gently lifted the box and examined it, it looked normal enough. Just then the card caught his attention. Prying it open the boy's heart skipped a beat as he read what was written inside.

_For you Soren._

_Love, Ike_

_Love? Love! Ike loves- he loves me? _The red eyed boy dropped the box onto the tiled floor of the bathroom. Completely shocked he leaned against the counter for support. _Ike loves me. He really, really loves me! Can this really be happening, can it? _The boy felt a wide grin spread across his face, he was happier than he could ever remember being.

No longer thinking Soren grabbed the handle of the glass sliding door on the shower. Yanking it open he climbed in and closed the door behind himself before Ike even had a chance to protest.

"Soren what are you-" Ike tried to exclaim, but was cut off as Soren stood on his tip toes and pressed his lips against the bluenette.

"I love you too." Soren said, smiling sheepishly as he moved his face away from Ike's. The detective glanced down at his assistants shirt, which was beginning to turn transparent as the warm water soaked into it.

"But how? How did you know?" Ike asked, dumbfounded.

"I found the box…with the card on it." Soren said. Ike turned away from the boy, he was overwhelmingly embarrassed. He also covered himself up as he became aware of his own nakedness.

"I wanted to tell you ever since you started working for me, but I didn't, well, I wasn't sure what you'd say." Leaning down so that his face was level with Soren's, Ike gently grabbed the boy's jaw and tilted his head up slightly.

"I've wanted to do this all day." The bluenette said, kissing Soren passionately. The black haired boy wasn't sure what he should do, returning the kiss he gently slid his tongue in between Ike's lips. The man instantly asserted himself as the dominant kisser however and pushed back against Soren's tongue gently. As they both explored the inside of each other's mouths Ike's thoughts swam with delight.

_I'm so happy, so happy. This is the greatest thing that's ever happened to me, I'm in love! I'm finally in love, and he loves me back!_

"No kidding, I've wanted you to do that for weeks!" Soren gasped, breaking off the kiss to catch his breath.

"Weeks?" Ike asked, puzzled. He no longer cared about his nakedness, and instead was busy studying the outline of Soren's chest beneath his now soaked dress shirt.

"I'll explain later. Want to help me take this off?" Soren said casually as he removed his dripping shirt.

"What's come over you!?!" Ike asked, awed by how forward his love was suddenly being.

"Like I said Ike, I'll explain later." Soren said as he slid his pants down so that the wet black fabric hung around his ankles. Kicking his feet out of the leg holes, Soren removed the clothing from him. Stripping off his equally wet boxers next, the boy opened the glass door of the shower and discarded all of the clothes onto the bathroom floor.

Letting the glass door close behind him, he suddenly came to the realization that he was fully naked. Immediately the boy blushed a deep crimson. _Oh my god, I'm naked, I totally naked! This is so embarrassing, I've never- nobodies ever seen me like this before._

Ashamed of himself, the black haired boy tried to cover himself up with his hands. Retreating into the corner of the shower, he stared at Ike nervously. The bluenette reached his hand out to Soren, flinched, but then reached out again. Gently he brushed the boys wet bangs off of his face and stared him in the eye's calmly.

"You are so beautiful Soren." He whispered, running his hand up the boy's thigh. Soren winced as the hand reached his buttocks and I cupped one of his cheeks with his hand.

"Ike, I'm so embarrassed." Soren said, his voice shaky. Ike let his hand trail even further until his index finger rested against the boys hole.

"Don't be, you look amazing. And I love you." The man said, gently teasing his lover's entrance with the tip of his finger. Immediately Soren pressed a hand over his mouth to quell the gasp he was about to let out. He peeked one of his eye's open and studied Ike's own body. _He look's amazing, he's so muscular. _His eye's immediately fell on the man's erection. _Oh god, he's huge. That's going too- I don't know if I can do this._

"Soren, are you scared?" Ike asked. His blue bangs now heavy with water, they almost completely covered his eye's. The boy averted his gaze, turning his head to the side.

"No, no I'm-I'm fine. Go ahead." He felt Ike tilt his head up by his chin placing a gentle kiss on his lips.

"We don't have to if you're not ready." Ike said comfortingly.

"I love you, so much. I don't want to wait anymore. Its just, I've never-I mean I…"

"It's your first time, isn't it?" Ike interrupted knowingly. Soren nodded, feeling like a fool. Ike immediately grabbed both his and Soren's hardness in one hand and stroked both. Again the black haired by cupped his hand over his mouth to quiet himself.

"If that's all it is, then you can relax. I'll be gentle, promise. You don't need to cover your mouth either, you can let it out." Ike cooed into his assistants hear, nibbling it gently. Removing his hand from his mouth Soren mewled and pressed both his hands against the wall of the shower.

Reaching with his free hand Ike groped for the bottle of conditioner on the shower rack. Finally finding it he squirted some into his right hand, and coated his whole length.

"Are you sure you're ready Soren?" Ike asked staring the boy in the eyes. Even though he was nervous, the raven head forced a smile.

"Yeah." At that, Ike spread Soren's legs slightly and pressed his body against his lovers. He could feel the hot water from the shower spilling onto both of them. Brushing his wet bangs out of his face, he touched his penis to the Soren's entrance. Immediately the red eyed boy felt a chill go up his whole spine. Gently Ike forced the tip into the hole. He then slowly slid the rest of his length inside. Soren cried out. Ike embraced the poor boy, who was shaking and gasping for breath.

"Are you alright Soren!?"

"Yeah, I'm o-okay. Just be gentle." He stammered. Already he could feel the pain starting to ebb away. Slowly Ike slid himself almost completely out of his love, then thrust back in gently. Soren yelped and clutched onto Ike, wrapping both of his legs around the detectives. Again Ike thrust, this time slightly harder. Soon the man had started to move in rhythm, making sure not to hurt the boy. Soren gasped and panted as he felt pleasure slowly building inside him. With each thrust Ike struck something deep inside him that sent waves of pleasure through him.

It was almost as though Soren had dissolved into the hot water of the shower, becoming nothing but the amazing feeling. Panting himself Ike started to thrust even faster now that Soren had started to relax and unclench himself. Moving even faster Ike could feel that it wouldn't be much longer until he came. Staring at Soren he couldn't help but smile. The boy's eyes were pressed shut and his mouth open as he yelped with delight, the slightest blush on his face.

Soren knew that he wouldn't be able to hold on any longer. Feeling he should say something, he tried to tell Ike.

"Ike I-I don't, I can't hold on any longer, I'm gonna-"

"Yeah, me to. Let's do it together." Ike said, pressing his lips to his love's. The two kissed as Ike pushed against Soren's body rapidly. The black haired boy broke of the kiss as he shrieked in ecstasy, his whole body tensing as he came. His seed shot out all over him and Ike. Moments later Ike grunted as he came himself.

Water rained down on the couple washing their bodies off. The two stood in the glass shower, Soren against the tiled wall, and Ike panting pressed against him. Weak from the afterglow of his orgasm Soren felt his legs give out beneath him.

"Gotcha." Ike said catching the boy before he collapsed. "Tired?"

Instead of saying anything the raven head clutched onto Ike's neck and pressed his face into the man's chest.

"I love you Ike, for so long now I have." He said. All the bluenette could do was hug him back, running his hands though the boys waist length black hair. He smiled contently and continued to caress his lover.

---

"Damn Ike, pick up your phone!" Pit yelled, slamming his phone down on the table in frustration. He'd been trying the number for about an hour now. It was already dark out and the brunette had been waiting up in Ike's office for hours. _He should really lock this place up, I'm surprised nobodies broken in before._

The copper haired boy glanced down at the gun on the desk. _He leaves his gun out in the open too? Is this guy really such an idiot!? He needs more help than I thought. That tears it, I'm telling Soren myself that Ike loves him, otherwise he'll never find out._

---

"All I'm saying is that if you jam the screwdriver in there, just really jam it, the lock will open." Roy said, watching over Marth's shoulder as the bluenette slowly rotated a small screwdriver inside the lock on the back door.

"Roy lock picking is a _delicate_ procedure. Delicate! If I'm jamming _anything _in _anywhere_ then I think I'm doing it wrong!"

"That's what she said!" Roy shot back, earning himself a slap upside the head from his lover.

"Alright I give up, this isn't working at all. I think that there should be a box that has the phone lines inside it on the side of the building. Roy you go plant the bug on the phone line connected to Ike's office." Marth said, rubbing his temples, he could feel a migraine beginning to build. The past few days had been so incredibly stressful, he was surprised this hadn't happened sooner.

"Well what are you going to be doing while I do that?' Roy asked, hands on his hips.

"I'm going to be taking more than the recommended dosage of Advil and trying to make my head stop screaming at me." Marth whispered, stumbling his way over to the car.

"Wait, how will I know which phone line goes to the detectives office?" Roy asked.

"They should be labeled or something. I need to lie down now." Marth said as he climbed into the drivers seat and closed the door.

---

"Oh, I got a call from Pit!" Soren said, rubbing his long black mane dry with a towel. Pulling on a pair of pajama pants Soren had offered to let Ike borrow, the bluenette frowned at how short they were on him.

"Really? What'd he say?" Ike asked, wrapping his arms around the pale boy's bare skin from behind. Soren sighed and hugged the bluenette's head from behind.

"I don't know, let me see." Soren was briefly silent as he listened to the voice message the small brunette had left.

"Uh oh. That doesn't sound good."

"What'd he say Soren?"

"Um, something about the FBI and the Mafia hunting Link. He said that they've been following both him for the past few days. He also said that they ransacked the apartment and he'll be waiting at your office because he doesn't feel safe. Oh, and he's also worried that they've killed Link." Soren said flatly and somewhat confused.

"Oh Christ that boy is excitable!" Ike said letting out a sigh and rummaging through his duffle bag.

"He does realize that the FBI and the Mafia aren't affiliated, right?" Soren said, wondering what went on in Pit's small little head.

"I don't know, but I'm gonna head over to the office and try to calm him down. Wanna come?" Ike said as he slipped on his tan trench coat, still shirtless. Soren glanced down at his bare body, then back up at his lover.

"Just let me get changed." The boy said as he scampered off into the bedroom.

---

"This is the only box out here, this has gotta be it." Roy thought out loud, looking at the red metal box against the wall in the side alley next to the office building. He looked down at the lock on the box, giving a glance down the alley in both directions, he decided the coast was clear.

Ramming the screwdriver into the lock with all of his might he heard the sound of grinding metal, followed by a click. The lock sprung open and the redhead smiled staring down at his work.

"And Marth said that wasn't how you picked locks."

---

Pit stood frozen, staring out the glass door that was the front exit of the office building. Sitting on the stairs, with his back to the copper haired boy, was the mysterious man in the black pea coat with the pinstriped fedora. The boy turned around and immediately ran back up the stairs. _He found Ike's office, he knows! He knows everything and he's coming for me! Oh where are you Ike!?! Where the fuck could you be at a time like this? _

Reentering the bluenette's office once again, Pit closed the door behind himself and locked it. Immediately his eye's fell on the gun. Running over to the desk he wrapped his small hand around the firearms wooden handle. _They're not gonna take me alive, I can fucking tell you that right now._ He glanced out the window of the office at the rear parking lot. He wanted to make sure the back was clear so he could make a run for it.

_Oh my god, it's that car! The same car that I saw passing by us at the café this morning. The same car that I saw parked outside of Link's apartment. They've got the back covered too! That must be Mr. Fedora's partner! _

Clenching the gun Pit started to plan his escape. Just as he had finished running the motions through his head, setting the choreography of his mad dash in stone, the lights in Ike's office and the rest of the building shut off. The power had gone out.

---

Sitting in the car and nursing his splitting headache, Marth read the side of the Advil bottle he'd found in the glove compartment, praying he could take more than the two pills he'd already swallowed. Just as he'd finished reading the directions and sighing in defeat he watched all of the light's in the office building shut off.

"What the fuck? Why is the power out?" The bluenette asked, wincing in pain as he felt a lightning bolt of pain behind his left eye.

---

Ike pulled up in front of his building and stepped out of his orange Range Rover incredibly confused. Cutting the engine he closed the car door and approached the front of the office. Sitting in the car Soren decided to wait for Ike to return. After the 'activities' they'd been up to before Pit had called, the boy no longer had any energy.

"Why the fuck are all of the light's out? Did somebody blow a fuse?" Just as he'd finished asking himself what had happened to the lights Link stood up off of the office steps and approached the bluenette.

"Finally you show up, you piece of shit!!!" Link roared running up to Ike and punching him in the forehead right between the eyes. Stumbling backwards the bluentette tried to keep his balance and regain his sense's.

"Who the hell are you!? What the fuck was that for man!?!" Ike asked gripping his forehead in pain.

"I am gonna fucking rearrange you!" Link bellowed approaching Ike to throw another punch. Sensing that the enraged blonde couldn't be reasoned with, Ike threw a lightning fast punch of his own, aimed at the strangers chest. Link didn't even flinch, he looked like he hadn't felt the blow at all.

_Uh oh. What's this guy made out of, titanium?_

---

Looking up at the darkened windows above him, Roy backed away from the red metal box mounted on the wall in front of him. _Um, I don't think that those were the phone lines. I think that was the fuse box. _He stared back up at the now pitch black building. _Marth is not going to be happy. He's definitely not gonna like this._

---

Opening the back door of the office building a sliver, Pit glanced out at the tan Mercedes sitting under the street lamp in the middle of the parking lot. _Alright Pit they cut the power, they're coming after you. But you're smarter than they are, you can do this. Just stay cool, deep breaths. Deep breaths and stay cool. You're the fucking man. _

Cocking back the hammer of the firearm in his right hand, Pit opened the door of the office and bolted out in front of the tan car. Pointing the gun at the windshield he screamed demands at the bluenette sitting behind the steering wheel.

"Hands on the steering wheel now! Put your fucking hands where I can see them!" Pit screamed. Completely stunned, Marth complied with the brunette who looked as though he had completely lost his mind.

"Who do you work for!" Pit barked, waving the gun at Marth. The bluenette responded in a shaky voice that he had no idea what the boy was talking about.

"I can't hear you! Who! Do! You! Work! For!" The boy demanded, becoming more and more erratic by the second. Marth rolled down the window and tried to control his voice so he could piece together an answered.

"I-I don't know- I don't know w-what the fuck you are talking about!!!"

---

Feeling helpless Soren tried with all of his might to break up the fight between Ike and Link. He wasn't really sure if it could even be called a fight though, Ike was no match for the might of Link's combined physique and boxing skills.

Getting in between the two, the black haired boy tried his hardest to separate the them and convince the blonde that whatever he was trying to kill Ike over had to be a misunderstanding.

Just as Soren was about to catch a stray punch being thrown by Link all three froze in place. The deafening bang of a gunshot ringing in the air.

---

"Bullshit!" Pit exclaimed, the gun shaking in his hands. "Bullshit!!! I wanna know right now! Who do you work for!? And what have you done with Link? If you've hurt him I swear to god I'll-" Suddenly Roy emerged out of nowhere, running out of the shadows towards Pit at full speed.

"I'll save you Marth!!!" The redhead cried, jabbing the screwdriver with all of his might into Pit's right hand. The boy yelped in pain and angled the gun downwards. Feeling immense pain shooting through his whole hand the copper headed youth's finger squeezed the trigger.

The gun went off in a roar that deafened both Roy and Pit. The bullet itself striking the hood of the car. Fast as lightning the windshields in the front passengers' seats automatically deployed as the front impact sensor went off.

The bluenette was hit in the face full force by the bag, he saw stars and felt something in one of the hands that was pressed against the steering wheel snap. The whole world faded around him as he slipped out of consciousness, his head lolling onto his left shoulder completely limp.

Roy and Pit stared at each other in shock as the car alarm blared into their still ringing ears. Both stared dumbfounded at the car that was still screaming and beeping, then back at each other.

"What did you do Pit!?" Roy whispered in shock.

No Love For Marth, End


	8. Chapter 8

No Love

Aftermath: No Love Lost

---

Opening the door to Paddy's Gay Bar, Pit's aunt Liz immediately ran over to her nephew and scooped him up. Embracing the small brunette and assaulting his face with kisses, she very much fit the role of protective and loving guardian.

"Oh my little baby, you poor thing! Are you alright!?" The woman looked worriedly at the bandages on the copper haired boy's right hand and immediately set to kissing his face again.

"I'm fine auntie, I'm fine!" Pit laughed, pushing himself out of her arms. The woman, immediately turned to the blonde standing next to Pit. The brunette's lover had butterfly patches on his left eyebrow, which was somewhat swollen.

"Oh and how are you sweetie? Doing alright?" Liz asked, giving Link an equally warm hug.

"Yeah I'm fine, you should see the other guy." Link joked. Almost as if on cue, Ike and Soren emerged through the doors of the bar, Ike holding it open for his assistant. The boy stood on his toes and pecked his lover on the cheek, thanking him for the gesture.

"Wow, it sure is cold out there! I'm hearing they actually expect it to snow tonight!" The raven haired boy said, unraveling the scarf around his neck.

"Snow? No way, its barely even November!" Ike exclaimed. Unbuttoning his long tan coat. The bluenette had a cold compress on his cheek and two cuts on the bridge of his nose where Link had broken it.

"Liz, meet the other guy." Link said, gesturing to Ike. The woman looked curiously at the detective before turning her attention to Soren.

"So you're Ike! And that would make you Soren?" The woman asked, exchanging handshakes with the couple.

"Yep, that's us." Soren replied, chuckling as Liz warmly greeted him.

"I've heard so much about the two of you from Link and Pit." The woman continued, brushing grey bangs out of her face with her free hand.

"Uh oh. Lets hear it, what did they say? Nice things I'm hoping?" Ike laughed, smirking at Link and returning the hug that Pit offered him.

"Well, sure Ike. From what Pit's told me you've been quite the pal. And of course I've heard all about you Soren from Link. It sounds to me like you're the only friend the poor kids got."

"Please Liz, I have plenty of friends. Soren's just my closest one." Link groaned, reaching out and Wrapping Soren in a light hug.

"Auntie, we were going to meet some of our friends here, have you seen them?" Pit asked, his delicate voice interrupting the group.

"Friends? What do they look like?" The woman asked, once again pushing her graying hair off of her face.

"One should be pretty banged up, and the other is loud and obnoxious." Soren said cynically, a smile on his face. Immediately the middle aged woman sighed and glanced over your shoulder.

"Yep, I know exactly who you're talking about, they're sitting at the bar." The woman said, turning to resume her place as bartended for the night.

The whole group turned to look at the couple sitting at the bar, from their place at the front door they could already tell Roy had designated himself 'life of the party' for the evening. The bluenette was pressing a glass of what looked to be scotch against his temple while his lover ranted on about something the group couldn't hear over the crowd.

Marth himself wasn't looking so bad, he had a cast on his left arm from when the airbag had broken his thumb, but the bruises on his face were completely gone already. Walking over to the couple, their conversation slowly came into focus.

"All I'm saying Marth is that I think you're being a little pessimistic."

"Pessimistic, my cars airbag went off in my face! I woke up in the hospital a day later! And my thumb is broken! How am I supposed to play Resident evil now Roy!? I can't use the joystick!" The bluenette retorted, taking a sip from his glass, then returning to nursing his temple with it.

"But you were right, weren't you? You were right! You were right about the airbag, you proved me wrong. So its not a total loss, right?" Roy unconsciously reached his hand up to his forehead where the stitches had been. He'd taken them out himself only a few hours ago, but he couldn't help but constantly touch the spot where they'd been.

"Who care's if I was right!? I'd much rather be wrong if it meant my hand wouldn't be-"

"Hey what's up guys! You look great Marth, no more bruises or anything! I can't believe it was only four days ago that…" Link trialed off.

"Well thanks Link. How are you guys?" The bluenette asked, addressing the rest of the group.

"Oh, well, y'know, recovering." Ike said, patting the cold compress on his cheek and motioning to the bandages on Pit's right hand.

"Oh god Pit, I didn't realize I'd stabbed you that hard! Are you alright?" Roy cried, his eye's fixing on the bandages.

"Oh, yeah, I'm fine. Don't worry about it Roy, I'd have probably done the same thing in your position." The boy comforted, scratching the back of his head.

"Alright, so lets get down to business! It's been four days and I still don't think that anybody fully understands what the hell even happened!" Ike declared, sitting down at the bar next to Marth. Motioning to his lover to sit next to him, Soren trotted over and plopped down on the stool next to his love. Rubbing the small of the black haired boy's back, Ike waited for Pit and Link to assume a place on the opposite end of Marth and Roy.

"Hey barkeep! Drinks!" Link demanded rudely, a wide grin on his face. Turning, Liz gave the blonde the finger.

"Get em' yourself, piss head!" The woman called, smirking.

"Aww, don't be like that Auntie!" Pit chuckled, hugging Link's waist.

---

"No, somebody had to be doing _something_ with _somebody_!" Roy exclaimed, aghast.

"Fraid' not Roy, sorry to disappoint you."

"Well what I don't get is…do Roy and Marth work for a crime syndicate or a-"

"Roy and Marth are idiots, they don't work for anybody." Soren said, smirking and taking a sip of chardonnay.

"Ha ha Soren, you're very funny. Pit we weren't even following _you. _Why the hell did you freak out!?" Marth asked, now working on his third glass of scotch.

"What do mean you _weren't following me?_ I saw you the night me and Ike were at the Paddy's, you were outside my apartment the next day, and then I saw you at his office that night." The boy replied defensively.

"Speaking of which Pit, why did you meet with Ike at the bar again?" Link asked, confused.

"Well I'd never met him before so I decided to be safe."

"Pit how is meeting a complete stranger at a bar _safe_?" Ike wondered.

"Don't bother Ike, I don't understand him half the time either." Link said, kissing his lover on the forehead. Pouting, Pit took another sip of his Mojito.

"You didn't answer my question though, why were you everywhere that _I _went if you were following Ike?" The small brunette asked again, slightly irritated.

"I don't know, coincidence maybe? Also you're wicked paranoid Pit." Marth answered flatly.

"I am not paranoid!" The brunette exclaimed.

"Pit, you thought that I was going to rape you the first time I met you. After _you _were the one who suggested where we should meet!" Ike laughed.

"You're all jerks." The boy said under his breath, taking a long sip of his drink.

"So does that mean…that all of this…was for nothing?" Marth grumbled, almost certain he already knew the answer to the question. Roy decided to be the first to answer.

"I guess that it was, huh? It wasn't a total loss though, I mean it was entertaining wasn't it?" The redhead said, aware of what was coming next.

"Roy, if I didn't love you so much, you'd be dead by now." Marth said coldly, downing the rest of his scotch.

"How cruel…" Link whispered to Pit, who had to stifle a giggle. Staring into Ike's eyes, Soren smiled and decided to speak up.

"I don't think it was a total waste." The black haired boy said quietly. Ike returned the smile and patted his lover on the thigh.

"Yeah, well, that's cuz' you're the only one who didn't get banged up Soren!" Roy teased.

"And who's fault is that _Roy_?" Math accused. Turing to the redhead, he saw his lover wilt at the comment. Trying to remain stern, the bluenette glared at the boy for a moment until eventually he softened. Marth never had been able to stay mad at Roy. Sighing the bluenette kissed him on the cheek. Immediately Roy perked back up.

"Wow, is that the time, that took longer than I thought!" Ike blurted, staring at his watch.

"We're in a hurry Ike?" Soren questioned, baffled.

"Remember the client we have a meeting with tomorrow? We still need to repaint the wall!"

"Oh shit, I totally forgot!" Ike's assistant exclaimed.

"Why do you need to paint the walls?" Pit asked innocently.

"Probably to get dumbass over here's blood off it." Link chuckled, pointing to Roy.

"Oh sure guys, make fun of the crippled kid." The redhead grumbled.

"Can we hang out again sometime?" Pit asked Ike as the man slid on his large tan coat. The bluenette ruffled his friends hair before turning to Soren, who nodded in approval.

"I think that we're gonna _all _need to hang out again sometime!" The blunette responded cheerily.

"Yeah, we should exchange numbers." Marth chimed in.

"Another time though, just call us at the office, you all know the number by now. We really need to be going." Soren said apologetically, not wanting to be rude.

"Bye!" The four sitting at the bar said, almost in perfect unison.

---

"That ribbon looks so cute on you Soren." Ike said, as he broke off their kiss to breath in the cold November air. Backing up from his lover, the bluenette allowed Soren to move from the wall he'd been pinned to.

"You really think so?" The boy said, running his fingers through the silky red ribbon. The bow it was tied into doing an excellent job of holding his hair in place.

"Yes, I really think so." Ike replied, kissing his black haired assistant on the forehead, right on his birthmark.

"Do we really have to paint the walls when we get back, there are _other _things I'd much rather do." Soren said seductively.

"Sorry Soren, but business first. We can always do that stuff when we get back to your house." Ike replied, unable to hide his excitement.

"Well that's true I- Was that a snowflake!?!" The boy exclaimed, looking up at the sky. Suddenly a light snow started to fall, white flakes dancing around the two lovers.

"Guess the forecast was right after all!" Ike said, trying to catch one of the crystals on his tongue.

"Who'd have thought?"

---

"_This next song is real classic, I'm sure that you all know it. The track is 'Feeling Good' by Nina Simone. Stay classy, and stay listening to Radio 101.3- where the classics keep stayin' cool."_

"Ugh, can we change the station, I hate the blue's." Marth said, now drinking a club soda. Roy didn't have a liscence so he was going to need to _actually _pace himself."

"No wait, keep it! Just for this song! Please auntie, I love this song!" Pit whined just as Liz was about to change the station.

"Yeah, please auntie?" Link said, doing his best to mimic his lover.

"Alright, but only cuz' you two make such cute couple." The woman said smiling. Already the group could hear the sound of the blue's drifting through the now almost empty bar into their ears.

"_Birds flyin' high, you know how I feel._

_Sun in the sky, you know how I feel._

_Breeze driftin' on by, you know how I feel."_

"So what do you guys think, will they last?" Roy asked the group, gasping from the burn of the shot he'd just done.

"_Fish in the sea, you know how I feel."_

"I think that they're a sweet couple" Pit cooed.

"_River's runnin' free, you know how I feel."_

"They seem solid to me." Link said, giving an exaggerated thumbs up.

"_Blossoms in the tree, you know how I feel."_

"I agree." Marth said, gulping his club soda.

"Yeah, I wanna think that too. They'll be alright, I bet." Roy said, nodding in approval.

---

As they walked to the car, Ike reached into his pocket. Fishing out a penny, he studied the tarnished copper coin. _Heads, we're soul mate, tails…tails we're not. _Throwing the coin up in the air, the bluenette could barely see it through the snow now steadily falling all around him and Soren. Catching the coin in his palm he immediately covered the copper piece before he had a chance to look at the result.

"Call it love." Ike said to Soren coyly.

"What do you mean, call what?"

"Heads or tails, call it." Ike said, motioning down with his eyes at the concealed coin.

"Okay.. Heads, I guess." The raven haired boy replied, shaking out his hair now dotted with specks of white snow. _Heads we're soul mates. _Uncovering the coin with his hand, the bluenette chucked the coin into the storm drain next to their car. The detective didn't even bother to see whether his lover had guessed correct or not

"What kind of idiot would leave something like that to chance?" Ike chuckled, pressing his lips to Soren's. Passionately the black haired assistant kissed him back. As their kiss intensified, the whole world melted around them, like a snowflake.

"_It's a new day!_

_It's a new dawn!_

_It's a new Life for meeeee!_

_And I'm feeeeelin' good!"_

"_That was Nina Simone's- 'Feelin Good', hope you guys appreciated it. Stay classy, and stay listening to Radio 101.3- where the classics keep stayin' cool."_

---

No Love, End


End file.
